Mary Doo Posted April 8, 2004 Share Posted April 8, 2004 <body> <p>Saw these tracks at Death Valley. Does anyone know what they are?</p><p><a href="file:///C:/MaryPhoto/Tracks.htm">http://www.maryphoto.com/tracks.htm</a></p> </body> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Doo Posted April 8, 2004 Author Share Posted April 8, 2004 <p>Sorry, here is the link again:</p> <p><a href="file:///C:/MaryPhoto/Tracks.htm">http://www.maryphoto.com/tracks.htm</a></p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Doo Posted April 9, 2004 Author Share Posted April 9, 2004 <p>OK, they say haste makes waste. How true it is. Now...the automatic link should work this time!</p> <p><a href="http://www.maryphoto.com/tracks.htm">http://www.maryphoto.com/tracks.htm</a></p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stemked Posted April 9, 2004 Share Posted April 9, 2004 Never having been to the area I would guess a Kangroo rat of some kind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark_chappell Posted April 9, 2004 Share Posted April 9, 2004 My guess: without knowing crucial matters like the size of the tracks, I think this was left by a tenebrionid beetle (big blackish animals often called 'stink beetles'). They produce tracks like this. K-rats often leave tail drag marks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Doo Posted April 9, 2004 Author Share Posted April 9, 2004 If it's a beetle, it would have to be one from outer space! <g> The tracks are about 1.5 to 2 inches wide. Someone suggested these are sniper tracks -- but then snipers are shore birds, aren't they? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brad_hiltbrand Posted April 9, 2004 Share Posted April 9, 2004 These tracks are very common around the Eureka dunes. I am pretty sure they are Kangaroo rat trails. If you look carefully you can see the tail drag marks in places. These tracks are found all over the lower dunes close to the surrounding desert where the kangaroo rats make their burrows. I took a similar picture of the same sort of tracks and dune ripples in January. Yours photo is much better. Nice image!<div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brad_hiltbrand Posted April 9, 2004 Share Posted April 9, 2004 Comparing our images I notice that you have captured the trail of not just one, but rather TWO k-rats traveling along the same path. Where was this photo taken exactly? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark_chappell Posted April 9, 2004 Share Posted April 9, 2004 given the size of these tracks I would now guess they're lizard footprints. K-rats tend to hop, not walk, so their prints are more widely spaced than these. A non-hopping rodent (pocket mouse, deer mouse, etc.) is also possible, but given the rather wide spacing between left and right prints, I'd bet lizard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimitoucan Posted April 9, 2004 Share Posted April 9, 2004 Sometimes the sand gets so hot that one beetle will help another beetle across the hot sand. See image. These are billbugs. Jim<div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Doo Posted April 22, 2004 Author Share Posted April 22, 2004 OK folks,... (1) Kangaroo rats are ruled out -- I bought an "aninal tracks in the Sothwest" book and noted that their track patterns are VERY different. (2) Mark C, you were most probably right afterall: Two people that I shot pictures with at the approximate area told me they are almost positive these were made by a big black beetle. One said she actually saw one of those that morning though she did not note the track pattern at the time. (3) The shot was taken at the Stove Pipe Wells area of Death Valley. Thanks for your input. When I have time, I will probably write to the Death Valley National Park to ask them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Doo Posted May 11, 2004 Author Share Posted May 11, 2004 <p>I just received a confirmation from a Park Ranger of Death Valley. These tracks (or footsteps? <g>) have been identified to belong to a "darkling beetle". Some info of these beetles can be found at: <br> <br> <a href="http://www.randallmuseum.org/animal.cfm?a=2">http://www.randallmuseum.org/animal.cfm?a=2</a><br> <br> Thanks for your interest.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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