Overview
Background
I am a palaeo‑ichnologist and evolutionary biologist specialising in dinosaur footprints and fossil trackways, using digital and quantitative methods to reconstruct how extinct animals moved, behaved, and interacted with their environments.
My research focuses on extracting biological and behavioural information from footprints and trackways, particularly where body fossils are rare or absent. I develop and apply digital workflows that combine photogrammetry, spatial measurements, and custom analytical tools to study dinosaur locomotion, group behaviour, and palaeoecology in a reproducible and scalable way. A strong emphasis of my work is the use of remote and non‑destructive methods that allow high‑quality scientific analysis in regional, industrial, and operational settings.
I work extensively with industry partners and government agencies—such as the Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks Authority—to support rapid documentation and preservation of fossil footprints. I also collaborate closely with regional communities and citizen scientists, recognising their essential role in discovering, recording, and safeguarding Australia’s trace fossil heritage.
My research has received sustained national recognition within a decade of completing my PhD (2014). I was listed as a Lead Researcher in Australia in the Palaeontology category by The Australian Research Magazine in 2023, 2024, 2025, and 2026, reflecting the impact and innovation of my contributions to digital palaeontology. My work spans major Australian and international tracksites and is strongly oriented toward public engagement, heritage protection, and translating scientific research beyond academia.
Availability
- Dr Anthony Romilio is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Qualifications
- Doctor of Philosophy of Palaeontology, The University of Queensland
Research interests
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Dinosaur footprints and trackways
I reconstruct dinosaur locomotion, behaviour, and palaeoecology through detailed analysis of fossil footprints and trackways. My work focuses on interpreting movement patterns, group dynamics, and trackmaker identity using spatial measurements, 3D datasets, and quantitative comparisons across Australian and international sites.
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Digital and quantitative palaeontology
My research develops and applies digital workflows—including photogrammetry, 3D modelling, spatial landmarking, and machine‑learning‑assisted classification—to analyse fossil track morphology. These reproducible and non‑destructive methods support scientific analysis, heritage protection, and rapid documentation in operational settings.
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Fossil heritage, industry, and community engagement
I work at the interface of palaeontology, industry, and community participation to improve the discovery, documentation, and preservation of fossil footprints. This includes collaborations with mining operations, regulatory agencies, community groups, and international research partners to promote high‑quality heritage outcomes and widespread public engagement.
Research impacts
My research strengthens decision‑making in heritage management by improving how fossil tracksites are documented, preserved, and interpreted. Through remote and non‑disruptive documentation methods, I support industry partners in recording scientifically important footprints without interrupting operational workflows, helping balance economic activity with cultural and environmental stewardship.
Internationally, my work applies digital documentation frameworks across diverse geological and regulatory contexts, promoting methodological consistency and capacity building in ichnological research. Community engagement remains a central impact of my work: I design accessible digital tools and documentation protocols that empower citizen scientists and regional communities to identify and safeguard trace fossil sites. Public lectures, media contributions, exhibitions, and school‑based outreach further extend this impact, deepening public understanding of Australia’s fossil heritage and supporting curriculum‑aligned learning in regional and Indigenous communities.
Works
Search Professor Anthony Romilio’s works on UQ eSpace
2020
Journal Article
Trackway evidence for large bipedal crocodylomorphs from the Cretaceous of Korea
Kim, Kyung Soo, Lockley, Martin G., Lim, Jong Deock, Bae, Seul Mi and Romilio, Anthony (2020). Trackway evidence for large bipedal crocodylomorphs from the Cretaceous of Korea. Scientific Reports, 10 (1) 8680, 8680. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-66008-7
2020
Journal Article
Evidence of ornithischian activity from the Lower Jurassic (Hettangian–Sinemurian) Precipice Sandstone, Callide Basin, Queensland, Australia — preliminary findings
Romilio, Anthony (2020). Evidence of ornithischian activity from the Lower Jurassic (Hettangian–Sinemurian) Precipice Sandstone, Callide Basin, Queensland, Australia — preliminary findings. Historical Biology, 33 (11), 1-5. doi: 10.1080/08912963.2020.1846033
2020
Journal Article
An historic theropod-dominated track assemblage from the Upper Jurassic of Sichuan, China
Xing, Lida, Lockley, Martin G., Romilio, Anthony, Klein, Hendrik, Peng, Guangzhao, Persons, W. Scott, Ye, Yong, Jiang, Shan and Wang, Miaoyan (2020). An historic theropod-dominated track assemblage from the Upper Jurassic of Sichuan, China. Historical Biology, 33 (11), 1-7. doi: 10.1080/08912963.2020.1830278
2020
Book
An Instructional Guide to Visualising Dinosaur Tracks
Romilio, Anthony (2020). An Instructional Guide to Visualising Dinosaur Tracks. Columbia, South Carolina, United States: Amazon.
2020
Journal Article
Footprints of marine reptiles from the Middle Triassic (Anisian-Ladinian) Guanling Formation of Guizhou Province, southwestern China: the earliest evidence of synchronous style of swimming
Xing, Lida, Klein, Hendrik, Lockley, Martin G., Wu, Xiao-chun, Benton, Michael J., Zeng, Rong and Romilio, Anthony (2020). Footprints of marine reptiles from the Middle Triassic (Anisian-Ladinian) Guanling Formation of Guizhou Province, southwestern China: the earliest evidence of synchronous style of swimming. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 558 109943, 109943. doi: 10.1016/j.palaeo.2020.109943
2020
Other Outputs
120 juta tahun yang lalu, buaya raksasa berkaki dua ini menjelajah wilayah Korea Selatan
Romilio, Anthony (2020, 07 03). 120 juta tahun yang lalu, buaya raksasa berkaki dua ini menjelajah wilayah Korea Selatan The Conversation
2020
Other Outputs
Dinosaur footprints show predators as big as T. rex stomped across Australia 160 million years ago
Romilio, Anthony and Salisbury, Steve (2020, 06 19). Dinosaur footprints show predators as big as T. rex stomped across Australia 160 million years ago The Conversation
2020
Journal Article
Dinosaur Eggs Associated with Crustacean Trace Fossils from the Upper Cretaceous of Jiangxi, China: Evidence for Foraging Behavior?
Xing, L., Niu, K., Zhang, L., Yang, T.-R., Zhang, J., Persons, W.S., Romilio, A., Zhuang, Y. and Ram, H. (2020). Dinosaur Eggs Associated with Crustacean Trace Fossils from the Upper Cretaceous of Jiangxi, China: Evidence for Foraging Behavior? . Biosis: Biological Systems, 1 (2), 54-59. doi: 10.37819/biosis.001.002.0058
2020
Journal Article
First reports of Crocodylopodus from Asia: implications for the paleoecology of the Lower Cretaceous
Lockley, Martin G., Lim, Jong Deock, Park, Hong Deock, Romilio, Anthony, Yoo, Jae Sang, Choi, Ji Won, Kim, Kyung Soo, Choi, Yeongi, Kang, Seung-Hyeop, Kim, Dong Hee and Kim, Tae Hyeong (2020). First reports of Crocodylopodus from Asia: implications for the paleoecology of the Lower Cretaceous. Cretaceous Research, 111 104441, 104441. doi: 10.1016/j.cretres.2020.104441
2020
Journal Article
Dinosaur tracks from the Jurassic-Cretaceous boundary Tuchengzi Formation (Hebei Province, China) used as building stones in the Chengde imperial summer resort: age, ichnology, and history
Xing, Lida, Lockley, Martin G., Du, Tianming, Zhang, Lijun, Klein, Hendrik, Romilio, Anthony, Persons, W. Scott, Wang, Kuan, Li, Zhenyu and Wan, Xiaoqiao (2020). Dinosaur tracks from the Jurassic-Cretaceous boundary Tuchengzi Formation (Hebei Province, China) used as building stones in the Chengde imperial summer resort: age, ichnology, and history. Cretaceous Research, 107 104310, 104310. doi: 10.1016/j.cretres.2019.104310
2019
Journal Article
Dinosaur tracks from the Lower Cretaceous Xiguayuan Formation in the Luanping Basin, Hebei Province, China
Xing, Lida, Lockley, Martin G., Qin, Zuohuan, Klein, Hendrik, Romilio, Anthony, Persons, W. Scott, Nie, Xin and Wan, Xiaoqiao (2019). Dinosaur tracks from the Lower Cretaceous Xiguayuan Formation in the Luanping Basin, Hebei Province, China. Cretaceous Research, 103 104163, 104163. doi: 10.1016/j.cretres.2019.06.009
2019
Journal Article
A probable tyrannosaurid track from the Upper Cretaceous of southern China
Xing, Lida, Niu, Kecheng, Lockley, Martin G., Klein, Hendrik, Romilio, Anthony, Scott Persons, W. and Brusatte, Stephen L. (2019). A probable tyrannosaurid track from the Upper Cretaceous of southern China. Science Bulletin, 64 (16), 1136-1139. doi: 10.1016/j.scib.2019.06.013
2019
Journal Article
“Keep your feet on the ground”: simulated range of motion and hind foot posture of the Middle Jurassic sauropod Rhoetosaurus brownei and its implications for sauropod biology
Jannel, Andréas, Nair, Jay P., Panagiotopoulou, Olga, Romilio, Anthony and Salisbury, Steven W. (2019). “Keep your feet on the ground”: simulated range of motion and hind foot posture of the Middle Jurassic sauropod Rhoetosaurus brownei and its implications for sauropod biology. Journal of Morphology, 280 (6) jmor.20989, 849-878. doi: 10.1002/jmor.20989
2019
Journal Article
A diversified dinosaur track assemblage from the Lower Cretaceous Xiaoba Formation of Sichuan Province, China: implications for ichnological database and census studies
Xing, Lida, Lockley, Martin G., Tong, Kui, Peng, Guangzhao, Romilio, Anthony, Klein, Hendrik, Persons, W. Scott, Ye, Yong and Jiang, Shan (2019). A diversified dinosaur track assemblage from the Lower Cretaceous Xiaoba Formation of Sichuan Province, China: implications for ichnological database and census studies. Cretaceous Research, 96, 120-134. doi: 10.1016/j.cretres.2018.11.026
2019
Journal Article
The first theropod tracks from the Middle Jurassic of Gansu, Northwest China: new and rare evidence of quadrupedal progression in theropod dinosaurs
Li, Da-Qing, Xing, Li-Da, Lockley, Martin G., Romilio, Anthony, Yang, Jing-Tao and Li, Long-Feng (2019). The first theropod tracks from the Middle Jurassic of Gansu, Northwest China: new and rare evidence of quadrupedal progression in theropod dinosaurs. Journal of Palaeogeography, 8 (1) 10. doi: 10.1186/s42501-019-0028-4
2019
Conference Publication
Coagulating colubrids: evolutionary, pathophysiological and biodiscovery implications of venom variations between Dispholidus typus and Thelotornis mossambicanus
Debono, Jordan, Dobson, James, Casewell, Nicholas R., Romilio, Anthony, Li, Bin, Kurniawan, Nyoman, Mardon, Karine, Weisbecker, Vera, Nouwens, Amanda, Kwok, Hang Fai and Fry, Bryan G. (2019). Coagulating colubrids: evolutionary, pathophysiological and biodiscovery implications of venom variations between Dispholidus typus and Thelotornis mossambicanus. 19th World Congress of the International-Society-on-Toxinology (IST) / 11th Asia Pacific Congress of the International-Society-on-Toxinology (IST) / 13th Chinese Conference on Toxins and Medical Applications, Haikou, Peoples Republic of China, 24-31 October 2017. Oxford, United Kingdom: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2018.10.144
2018
Journal Article
Smallest known raptor tracks suggest microraptorine activity in lakeshore setting
Kim, Kyung Soo, Lim, Jong Deock, Lockley, Martin G., Xing, Lida, Kim, Dong Hee, Pinuele, Laura, Romilio, Anthony, Yoo, Jae Sang, Kim, Jin Ho and Ahn, Jaehong (2018). Smallest known raptor tracks suggest microraptorine activity in lakeshore setting. Scientific Reports, 8 (1) 16908, 16908. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-35289-4
2018
Other Outputs
Dinosaurian tracks and related geological features of the Reddell Point—Entrance Point area, Broome, Western Australia; palaeontological survey as part of the 2018 Broome Safe Boat Harbour site assessment process
Salisbury, S. W. and Romilio, A. (2018). Dinosaurian tracks and related geological features of the Reddell Point—Entrance Point area, Broome, Western Australia; palaeontological survey as part of the 2018 Broome Safe Boat Harbour site assessment process. Brisbane, QLD, Australia: The University of Queensland.
2018
Journal Article
Multiple parallel deinonychosaurian trackways from a diverse dinosaur track assemblage of the Lower Cretaceous Dasheng Group of Shandong Province, China
Xing, Lida, Lockley, Martin G., Guo, Ying, Klein, Hendrik, Zhang, Junqiang, Zhang, Li, Persons, W. Scott, Romilio, Anthony, Tang, Yonggang and Wang, Xiaoli (2018). Multiple parallel deinonychosaurian trackways from a diverse dinosaur track assemblage of the Lower Cretaceous Dasheng Group of Shandong Province, China. Cretaceous Research, 90, 40-55. doi: 10.1016/j.cretres.2018.04.005
2018
Journal Article
Lower Cretaceous sauropod trackways from Lishui City and an overview of dinosaur dominated track assemblages from Zhejiang Province, China
Xing, Li-Da, Chou, Chun-Yong, Lockley, Martin G., Romilio, Anthony, Klein, Hendrik, Li, Nan and Scott Persons, W. (2018). Lower Cretaceous sauropod trackways from Lishui City and an overview of dinosaur dominated track assemblages from Zhejiang Province, China. Journal of Palaeogeography, 7 (1) 9. doi: 10.1186/s42501-018-0011-5
Supervision
Availability
- Dr Anthony Romilio is:
- Available for supervision
Looking for a supervisor? Read our advice on how to choose a supervisor.
Available projects
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Dinosaur locomotion and behaviour from fossil trackways
This project investigates dinosaur locomotion, behaviour, and group dynamics using fossil footprints and trackways. Students will apply quantitative and digital methods to analyse trackway geometry, gait parameters, and spatial patterns from Australian and international sites. The project is suitable for candidates interested in dinosaur behaviour, biomechanics, and trace fossil analysis, and can be tailored to theropod, sauropod, or ornithopod trackways.
Supervision history
Current supervision
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Doctor Philosophy
Distribution, abundance, and palaeoecological insights into theropod tracks of the Broome Sandstone, Western Australia
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Steven Salisbury
Media
Enquiries
Contact Dr Anthony Romilio directly for media enquiries about:
- Citizen science
- Dinosaur footprints
- Dinosaur tracks
- Dinosaur trackways
- Dinosaurs
- Evolution
- Fossil footprints
- Fossil heritage
- Mining and fossils
- Palaeontology
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