A remarkable discovery in Colorado’s Dinosaur Ridge area is shedding new light on the behaviors of dinosaurs, particularly their courtship rituals. The site, which dates back around 100 million years, may have once been home to one of the largest lekking arenas ever known. Lekking, a fascinating behavior still seen in modern-day birds, involves males performing dances to attract mates.
This behavior, previously thought to be unique to certain birds, now appears to have also been practiced by some of the dinosaurs that roamed the Earth.
The Discovery of Fossilized Mating Scrapes
Scientists have unearthed 35 Ostendichnus marks across the Dinosaur Ridge area, which they believe were left behind by dinosaurs as part of their mating displays. These traces, found in distinct patches, appear to be the fossilized remnants of the “dance-off” rituals practiced by theropods. Using high-resolution drone imagery, the team was able to carefully identify these scrapes, some of which are linked to species like Magnoavipes, a small theropod, or Acrocanthosaurus, a larger predator.
These findings suggest that Dinosaur Ridge might have hosted one of the largest and most vibrant lekking arenas in the prehistoric world. With 25 reliable scrape sites identified, the location could easily surpass any previously discovered mating display area.
What Do the Scrapes Reveal?
The traces at Dinosaur Ridge are particularly exciting because they show us not just how these dinosaurs may have competed for mates, but how they might have communicated through movement. Dr. Caldwell Buntin, one of the leading researchers behind the study, explained that the team relied on comparisons with modern-day animals to interpret these ancient behaviors.
“We interpret trace fossils and the behaviors they represent by observing similar behaviors in animals that produce the same – or similar – traces today,” said Dr. Buntin. This approach, called “actualistic” research, allows scientists to gain deeper insights into how prehistoric creatures may have interacted with each other.
As for the dinosaurs involved, it’s likely that the Magnoavipes species, identified by the scrapes, played a significant role in this ritual. Their distinctive movements may have contributed to the large collection of marks, but it’s also possible that larger dinosaurs like Acrocanthosaurus were involved, especially considering the scale of the site.
A Glimpse Into Dinosaur Social Life
The concept of lekking isn’t new, and many modern animals, particularly birds, still use it today. In these scenarios, males gather in a specific location and perform competitive displays to catch the attention of females. The most impressive dancers win the opportunity to mate. By comparing the traces of Ostendichnus at Dinosaur Ridge to modern-day lekking displays, scientists have been able to build a picture of how dinosaur social life might have looked.
Erin LaCount, Director of Education Programs at Dinosaur Ridge, noted, “This site at Dinosaur Ridge indicates that this wasn’t just a behavior found in a specific spot or just a one-off thing. To go from two to potentially three lek traces to having more than 30 in this study could make our site the largest lekking arena in the world.” The discovery of such a vast site helps solidify the idea that these displays were an integral part of dinosaur life, not isolated occurrences.
Public Access to the Discovery
What makes this discovery even more captivating is that the Dinosaur Ridge site is publicly accessible. Visitors can explore the marks left by these prehistoric creatures along an interpretive trail. While some of the exact locations of the traces remain protected, many can be seen up close.
The site allows us to imagine what it might have been like to witness the grand courtship displays of dinosaurs as they gathered in this ancient arena, showcasing their best “dance moves.”
