Ichnological Analysis of a Good of Cultural Interest: the Site of El Hoyo (El Castellar, Aragón, Spain)

The Spanish Province of Teruel (Aragon) has 13 dinosaur tracksites that have been declared Goods of Cultural Interest (Bienes de Interes Cultural, the highest level of legal protection afforded to Spanish heritage items). The site of El Hoyo in the village of El Castellar lies in the mountain ranges of El Maestrazgo and Sierra de Gudar ‘Place of Community Interest’ (Lugar de Interes Comunitario), on land forming part of the Natura 2000 Network. It is the only such site in the Camarillas Sandstone Formation (Barremian), and is placed within the Penagolosa sub-basin (part of the Maestrazgo Basin). Its scientific importance stems from the three theropod trackways it preserves, and from the presence of a macroinvertebrate ichnofabric almost exclusively composed of (abundant) traces of the ichnogenus Taenidium. The site appears to represent a transition zone between a terrestrial and aquatic (non-marine) environment on a floodplain adjacent to low energy rivers. The ichnological study of the site has considerably increased its scientific importance, and has become part of plans aimed at encouraging geotourism.