A massive, one-of-a-kind dinosaur footprint, dating back 130 million years, has been discovered. What makes it purple?

Fossil guide Joe Thompson was searching for dinosaur fossils on the Isle of Wight beach when he stumbled upon something quite intriguing: an incredible purple three-toed dinosaur track nearly one meter long, reports IFLScience.

The dinosaur footprint is estimated to be around 130 million years old. According to Thompson, the track was found right in the middle of the pebbles on Shepherd's Chine beach and, as experts believe, belongs to an Iguanodon — a massive herbivorous dinosaur.

Iguanodons are known to have been enormous herbivorous creatures, weighing around 4,000 kilograms and reaching lengths of about 10 meters. It is also known that their large thumbs were equipped with spikes, allowing the animals to defend themselves against predators.

The remarkable purple dinosaur track was uncovered during the shifting of pebbles. Interestingly, this track is found relatively high in the layers of the Wessex Formation. Experts have determined that the track was made by a large ornithopod traversing the swampy floodplain. It is believed that the track belongs to a large Iguanodon or a closely related species. By the way, this dinosaur species recently celebrated its 200th anniversary since its discovery.

Regarding the astonishing purple color of the footprint, scientists note that it is due to minerals in the clay. According to Thompson, unfortunately, the remarkable purple dinosaur track is unlikely to last forever.

The fact is that such footprints are not eternal and gradually wear away over time. Scientists believe that in the current environment, the track will only last for the next few months. However, researchers acknowledge that such amazing and ephemeral tracks are echoes of the ancient world of the early Cretaceous period and its inhabitants.