Jinan (ANTARA) – Two dinosaur fossils, one with almost intact skin marks, were discovered by Chinese paleontologists during a fossil excavation and restoration project in Hebei Province, northern China.
In 2017, several dinosaur bone fossils were discovered in the Fengning Man Autonomous Region within Chengde City. Careful excavation and restoration carried out over many years found two sets of very well-preserved dinosaur fossils, namely one fossil of a relatively primitive Ceratopsidae dinosaur with nearly intact bones throughout the body, and another fossil of Stegosaurus which has a set of bones and skin that are less than intact. These fossils are estimated to come from 130 million years ago.
The Stegosaurus fossil is about 5 meters long, with fossilized skin covering an area of about 3 square meters, scattered around the bones in clear lines arranged like scales.
“Hard parts, such as dinosaur bones and teeth, are relatively easy to fossilize, but soft parts, such as skin and muscles, rot easily, and the conditions for forming fossils are very difficult,” said Zhang Fucheng, a professor from the Institute of Geology and Linyi University paleontologist also led the research team.
According to Zhang, this level of durability and integrity of leather fossils is very rarely found throughout the world.
Guo Ying, an associate professor at the institute, further noted that the scale-like skin not only protected Stegosaurus’s body but also effectively locked water inside the body, so that the dinosaurs could reduce their dependence on water sources to a certain extent and increase their abilities. to adapt to environmental changes.
Researchers speculate that the perfectly preserved condition of the Stegosaurus fossil could be related to the volcanic activity that frequently occurred at that time.
“The dinosaur probably went to a river or lake to drink or died naturally there before drifting to deeper water,” Zhang said, adding that the dinosaur’s body was not disturbed by microorganisms or small animals, and the ashes faded from year after year so that the fossil remains intact.
Experts believe that the fossil specimen, which is the first Stegosaurus fossil discovered in Hebei, could provide strong evidence of Stegosaurus activity in northern China in the early Cretaceous Period.
The Ceratopsidae dinosaur fossil discovered this time also fills a gap in the evolution and development of the Ceratopsidae dinosaurs, said Zhang.
“The well-preserved bones of this specimen will provide important evidence for further studies of the evolution of primitive Ceratopsidae dinosaurs,” said Zhang.
Researchers believe that Fengning and the surrounding area, where the fossils were discovered, once had a rich forest and river system around 130 million years ago, providing effective shelter and sufficient food resources for herbivorous dinosaurs.
2023-11-22 03:18:06
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