World's largest deinonychosaur tracks discovered in Fujian
Scientists have discovered large two-toed tracks in Lincheng Town, Fujian Province, east China, which belong to deinonychosaurs, the scientist team said Monday.
At least eight types of dinosaur tracks have been found over the years at the Longxiang tracksite by scientists and experts from China University of Geosciences and Yingliang Stone Natural History Museum, 12 of which are didactyl deinonychosaur tracks that fall into two morphologies.
Among the 12 two-toed fossil tracks, five large tracks measuring 36.4 cm in length and 16.9 cm in width, on average, led researchers to establish a new dinosaur taxon: Fujianipus yingliangi.
Based on relative toe-proportions, Fujianipus is a probable troodontid.
"These are currently the largest deinonychosaur tracks found in China and beyond," said Xing Lida, an associate professor at China University of Geosciences, adding that based on the size of the tracks, it is estimatied that Fujianipus was at least 5 meters long, with a hip height of nearly 2 meters.
"The Longxian tracksite is the best-preserved, largest area, and most diverse Late Cretaceous dinosaur tracksite discovered in China to date," said Niu Kecheng, curator of Yingliang Stone Natural History Museum.
The discovery of the Fujianipus yingliangi greatly expands the size range of deinonychosaur tracks, which is of great significance for the study of the Late Cretaceous dinosaurs in China, Niu added.
The discovery was recently published in the international journal iScience.
Related articles
Marquette athletic director Bill Scholl plans to retire as he ends a decade
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Marquette athletic director Bill Scholl says he plans to retire and end his decade-2024-05-09Making cement is very damaging for the climate. One solution is opening in California
It’s a major contributor to climate change — the way buildings and roads are made with concrete. It’2024-05-09April's total solar eclipse promises to be the best yet for experiments
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — April’s total solar eclipse promises to be a scientific bonanza, thanks2024-05-09SpaceX's loses mega rocket near end of test flight
SpaceX came close to completing an hourlong test flight of its mega rocket on its third try Thursday2024-05-09Luis Miranda Jr. reflects on giving, the arts and his son Lin
Luis A. Miranda Jr. was just 19 years old when he arrived in New York City from a small town in Puer2024-05-09Four astronauts from four countries return to Earth after six months in orbit
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Four astronauts from four countries caught a lift back to Earth with Spa2024-05-09
atest comment