A fossil unearthed nearly four decades ago in eastern China’s Jiangxi Province has been identified as a new species of ankylosaur dinosaur, named “Huaxiazhoulong shouwen”. The discovery adds a fascinating chapter to the diversity of ankylosaurs from the Late Cretaceous period. This is reported by
Xinhua News Agency, a partner of TV BRICS.

The research, led by Xu Xing, a prominent academician from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, highlights the significance of the find. “The discovery of Huaxiazhoulong shouwen adds to the diversity of species of ankylosaurs that existed in Late Cretaceous southeast China,”  Xu noted.

The fossil was originally discovered in 1986 by a farmer in Guangchang County during agricultural work. Local authorities initiated a rescue excavation, and the specimen was subsequently hailed as the most well-preserved ankylosaur fossil in China at the time. Known colloquially as the “Guangchang ankylosaur”.

The reconstruction of fossils revealed that “Huaxiazhoulong shouwen” measured over six metres in length and lived approximately 72–84 million years ago. Its herbivorous diet likely consisted of ferns, seeds, and low-lying foliage.  

With a robust body, heavily armoured plates, and a tail ending in a club-like structure the size of a pomelo, “Huaxiazhoulong shouwen” exemplifies the defensive adaptations of the ankylosauridae family.

According to the source, China has become a global leader in palaeontological discoveries. The country has identified over 300 dinosaur species, accounting for nearly a third of the 1,000 species discovered worldwide.

Photo:
iStock