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
Police investigating shooting outside Drake's mansion that left security guard wounded
TORONTO (AP) — Police are investigating a shooting outside rapper Drake’s mansion in Toronto that le2024-05-09NASCAR revels in an M.J. moment. His Airness gives a big boost to his posthoops passion
TALLADEGA, Ala. (AP) — Suddenly, Michael Jordan’s new life seems just as satisfying as his old one.2024-05-09Nelly Korda puts bid for 6th straight victory on hold after withdrawing from Los Angeles tourney
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Nelly Korda is putting her bid for a historic sixth straight victory on hold.The2024-05-09- In the two years before the World Anti-Doping Agency signed off on clearing 23 Chinese swimmers of i2024-05-09
Iran and the UN nuclear agency are still discussing how to implement a 2023 deal on inspections
JERUSALEM (AP) — Iran and the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog are still negotiating over how to imp2024-05-09Chiefs sign coach Andy Reid, GM Brett Veach, team president Mark Donovan to contract extensions
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs announced Monday that they signed coach Andy Reid, ge2024-05-09
atest comment