Tag Archives: herbivorous

Newly Discovered Small Herbivorous Dinosaur Species Found in Spain

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A groundbreaking discovery has unveiled a new genus and species of small bipedal dinosaur from fossils found in Burgos, Spain.

Reconstruction of Foskeia pelendonum. Image credit: Martina Charnel.

Foskeia pelendonum thrived during the Early Cretaceous period, approximately 120 million years ago.

This newly identified species is part of the Rhabdodontomorpha, a group of ornithischian dinosaurs that existed primarily from the early to late Cretaceous period.

The diminutive dinosaur was roughly the size of a modern chicken, setting it apart from many of its larger ornithischian relatives.

“From the outset, we recognized the uniqueness of these bones due to their small size,” stated Dr. Fidel Torcida Fernández Baldor, a paleontologist at the Salas de los Infantes Dinosaur Museum.

“Remarkably, this study challenges established global theories regarding the evolution of ornithopod dinosaurs.”

“Miniaturization does not imply evolutionary simplicity. This skull is distinctive and highly specialized,” added Dr. Marcos Becerra from the National University of Córdoba.

“Foskeia pelendonum bridges a 70-million-year gap, serving as a small key to unlock a vast chapter of evolutionary history,” remarked Dr. Thierry Tortosa, a paleontologist at the Sainte-Victoire Nature Reserve.

“This is not a ‘mini’ iguanodon; it’s fundamentally different,” emphasized Dr. Tabata Zanesco Ferreira from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro.

“Its anatomy is peculiar in a way that fundamentally alters the evolutionary tree,” said Dr. Penélope Cursado-Caballero from the University of La Laguna.

The fossilized remnants of at least five individuals of Foskeia pelendonum were excavated from the Vegaguete site in Burgos, Spain.

“This site is part of the Castrillo de la Reina Formation, located between Villanueva de Calazo and Salas de los Infantes,” the researchers noted.

Histological analysis confirmed that the largest specimen was a sexually mature adult.

“The microstructure of the bones suggests that at least one individual was an adult with a metabolic rate akin to that of small mammals and birds,” said Dr. Cohen Stein from Vrije Universiteit Bruxelles.

“Understanding growth and development is vital for comparing anatomical structures within Foskeia pelendonum and other species.”

“Juveniles often exhibit anatomical changes as they mature.”

Phylogenetic analysis indicates that Foskeia pelendonum is closely related to the Australian dinosaur Muttaburasaurus, extending the European clade Rhabdodontia.

“Our findings indicate that herbivorous dinosaurs comprise a natural group called Phytodinosauria,” stated Dr. Paul-Emile Dieudonné from the National University of Rio Negro.

“This hypothesis requires further examination with additional data.”

Despite its modest size, Foskeia pelendonum exhibits specialized dentition and postural changes during growth, adapting for rapid movement through dense vegetation.

“These fossils illustrate that significant evolutionary experiments occurred at both small and large body sizes,” Dieudonné concluded.

“The future of dinosaur research relies on recognizing the significance of small details.”

The discovery of Foskeia pelendonum is detailed in a research paper published in the journal Paleontology Papers.

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l-Emile Dieudonné et al. 2026. Foskeia pelendonum, a new rhabdodontomorph from the Early Cretaceous of Salas de los Infantes (Burgos Province, Spain), and a new lineage of ornithischian dinosaurs. Paleontology Papers 12 (1): e70057; doi: 10.1002/spp2.70057

Source: www.sci.news

Fossils Uncover First Evidence of Herbivorous Pterosaurs

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Paleontologists from China and Brazil have reported the discovery of 320 phytoliths (tiny mineral structures formed within plant cells) found in the fossilized stomach of a pterosaur species known as Synopterus atavismus.

Rebuilding the life of Synopterus atavismus. Image credit: Maurilio Oliveira / Science China Press.

Pterosaurs, a group of reptiles that went extinct during the Mesozoic Era, were the first vertebrates to develop powered flight.

However, their dietary habits remain largely enigmatic.

Various hypotheses have been proposed regarding pterosaur diets, including insectivorous, piscivorous, carnivorous, omnivorous, herbivorous/frugivorous, filter feeding, and generalized diets.

Though stomach contents provide compelling evidence, such finds are exceedingly rare.

In addition to scales associated with the thorax of Eudimorphodon, only five confirmed instances of pterosaur gastric contents have been documented since the Late Triassic in Italy, all related to Rhamphorhynchus from the Late Jurassic Solnhofen limestone in Germany.

These instances largely consist of remains like dead fish, along with some unidentified items.

In a recent study, Dr. Xiaolin Wang from the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and colleagues investigated the contents of fossilized stomachs from Synopterus atavismus, which existed in China approximately 120 million years ago.

They identified numerous small gastroliths in the stomach contents, from which they extracted 320 phytoliths.

“Phytoliths are microscopic silica structures formed during plant growth, exhibiting diverse morphologies across different plant species and even within various parts of the same plant,” the paleontologists stated.

“This discovery marks the first extraction of phytoliths from a pterosaur and the second documented instance of a pterosaur featuring a gastrolith.”

Specimen of Synopterus atavismus. Image credit: Jiang et al., doi: 10.1016/j.scib.2025.06.040.

To determine whether Synopterus atavismus was indeed herbivorous, the researchers explored other possible interpretations.

“Initially, we confirmed that surrounding rocks did not contain the phytoliths found in the stomach, eliminating contamination as a factor,” the researchers commented.

“We also considered the possibility that the plant material could have originated from animals that consume plants.”

“However, Synopterus atavismus exhibited a rapid metabolism akin to that of birds. If it had consumed vertebrates or insects, traces like bones, scales, or hard insect shells would have been present in the stomach, but none were found.”

“The hypothesis of eating soft-bodied creatures like caterpillars was also insufficient. Why would it require so many gastroliths if hard food wasn’t part of its diet?”

“These stones typically assist in breaking down tough materials such as insect shells and plant matter, making them unneeded for softer prey.”

“Lastly, prior research suggested that Tapejara wellnhoferi, a close relative of Synopterus atavismus, had robust jaws adapted for consuming plants, reinforcing this conclusion.”

“Thus, phytoliths clearly indicate direct dietary intake, while gastroliths were utilized as tools for grinding plant material.”

The team’s paper is published in the October 15, 2025 issue of the journal Science Bulletin.

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Jiang Shunxin et al. 2025. First phytoliths discovered in pterosaurs – evidence of herbivory. Science Bulletin 70 (19): 3134-3138; doi: 10.1016/j.scib.2025.06.040

Source: www.sci.news

Paleontologists Discover New Species of Flat-Headed Herbivorous Dinosaur

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Paleontologists from the United States and the Slovak Republic have identified and named a new genus and species of hadrosaur dinosaur that roamed what is now New Mexico during the Cretaceous period.

Reconstructing the life of Acisresaurus wimani based on the holotype and related species. Image credit: Sergey Krasovskiy.

“Hadrosauridae“, a family of large herbivorous dinosaurs, were once among the most prevalent dinosaurs in the Late Cretaceous terrestrial ecosystems of the Western Interior Basin of North America for nearly 20 million years,” stated paleontologist Sebastian Dalman from Montana State University, along with colleagues from Harrisburg University, Pennsylvania State University, New Mexico Museum of Natural History, and Pavol Josef Shafarik University.

“Known commonly as ‘duck-billed’ dinosaurs, this group displayed remarkable taxonomic diversity and success during the Cretaceous period.”

“In the final 20 million years of the Cretaceous, hadrosaurids spread across the globe, appearing in Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Europe, and the Americas.”

The newly identified species, Acisresaurus wimani, lived during the late Cretaceous period, roughly 75 million years ago.

Fossilized dinosaur bones were uncovered in the geological formations of the Kirtland Formation, located in the A Si Sle Pa Wilderness, situated between Chaco Canyon and the De Na Gin Wilderness in San Juan County, New Mexico.

“The holotype specimen includes a diagnostically incomplete skull, several isolated cranial elements such as the right zygoma, quadrate, and dentary, along with a series of articulated cervical vertebrae,” the researchers noted.

“Besides the holotype, additional specimens from the same layer could also belong to this newly described species, including a well-preserved left dentary, a partial skeleton, and two humeri—one from a large adult and the other from a juvenile.”

In prior research, Acisresaurus wimani was linked to Kritosaurus, an early genus of saurolophine hadrosaurids found in the Kirtland Formation.

Both species share a close relationship within the subfamily Hadrosaurinae, specifically the Saurolophinae.

However, phylogenetic analyses indicate that they are distinct groups existing during the Campanian period of the Cretaceous in southern Laramidia.

“The younger species, Kritosaurus, belongs to the Critosaurini clade, comprising various species from northern Laramidia,” the scientists explained.

“Furthermore, phylogenetic results indicate the existence of a clade that includes Acisresaurus and Naashoibitosaurus, having diverged from Critosaurini in the late Campanian (75 million years ago), alongside two unnamed species in southern Laramidia.”

According to the research team, Naashoibitosaurus and Acisresaurus represent flat-headed saurolophines that could form a new category of hadrosaurids.

“This clade points to the considerable taxonomic diversity of saurolophines, which were prominent herbivorous dinosaurs in southern Laramidia during the final 20 million years of the Cretaceous,” the authors remarked.

“The discovery of a new hadrosaur species in New Mexico reinforces the evidence of latitudinal variation in hadrosaur faunas across Laramidia during the Late Cretaceous.”

The team’s study will be published in the Bulletin of the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science.

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Sebastian Dalman et al. 2025. A new saurolophine hadrosaurid (Ornithischian: Hadrosauridae) discovered in the Late Cretaceous (Campanian) Hunter Wash Member, Kirtland Formation, San Juan Basin, New Mexico. Bulletin of the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science 101

Source: www.sci.news

New Species of Herbivorous Dinosaur Discovered

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Paleontologists have announced the discovery of a new genus and species of eusauropod dinosaurs from the early Jurassic period in China.

Mamenchisaurus Young, sister species Huashanosaurus Qini. Image credit: Steveoc 86/cc by-sa 2.5.

Named Huashanosaurus Qini, this new dinosaur species is estimated to be about 12 m (39 feet) in length.

It existed in the Cantonese Autonomous Region of present-day China approximately 200 to 162 million years ago.

“The Jurassic sauropods are notably abundant in China, particularly in regions like Yunnan, Sichuan, and Xinjiang, with fewer known areas such as Ganshu, Ningxia, Anhui, Tibet, and Gitsou.”

“In Guangzhou, the record of Jurassic dinosaur fossils is limited compared to those from the Cretaceous period.”

Two specimens of Huashanosaurus Qini, including partial skeletons, were collected from Huqiu Quarry, part of The King’s Formation, located east of Guangzhou in southern China.

The site also yielded some bone fish scales, teeth (likely from Scalpidotes sp.), incomplete plesiosaur teeth, and fragmentary dinosaur bones.

“There is an ongoing debate regarding the geological age of the Prince Formation,” remarked the paleontologists.

“Initially thought to be early Jurassic, the formation has limited paleontological evidence.”

“Scientists are considering it to date from early to mid-Jurassic due to the presence of larger species from this era.”

The team indicates that Huashanosaurus Qini is a member of eusauropoda, a derived group of sauropod dinosaurs.

“This marks Guangzhou’s second eusauropod discovery,” the researcher noted.

“The first eusauropod described, Jingia dongxingensis, was excavated from the late Jurassic Dung Xing Formation.”

The discovery of Huashanosaurus Qini adds valuable information to the understanding of the evolutionary diversification of eusauropod dinosaurs.

“Huashanosaurus Qini is positioned more basally than early Jurassic forms like Balcanodon, Tazoudasaurus, and Goncyanosaurus, as well as early to mid-Jurassic representatives such as Barapasaurus,” stated the scientist.

“It is generally accepted that the main radiation of eusauropods occurred towards the end of the early Jurassic and the early Jurassic intervals.”

“From this perspective, the discovery of Huashanosaurus Qini provides further evidence for early to mid-King’s age.”

Survey results have been published in the journal Acta Geologica Sinica.

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Jinyou Mo et al. 2025. A new eusauropod dinosaur from the Jurassic Prince Formation in lower and central Nieming County in Guangzhou, southern China. Acta Geologica Sinica 99(4): 909-924; doi: 10.1111/1755-6724.15331

Source: www.sci.news

Ancient Herbivorous Dinosaur Discovered in Argentina, Dating Back 95 Million Years

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Paleontologists from Argentine Patagonia have unearthed parts of the posterior skull from the previously unknown sauropod dinosaur, Levvatissaurus.

Reconstruction of the life of Astigmasaura genuflexa. Image credit: Mattia Yuri Messina.

The newly identified dinosaurs thrived in what is modern-day Argentina during the late Cretaceous period, around 95 million years ago.

This species has been scientifically named Astigmasaura ungflexa and measured approximately 18 meters (59 feet) in length, weighing over 10 tons.

These ancient giants belong to the Rebbachisauridae, a large family of sauropod dinosaurs within the superfamily Diplodocoidea.

“Rebbachisaurids are medium to large, non-selective, ground-level browsers, characterized by highly specialized skulls, elongated axial elements, and gracile appendicular skeletons.”

“Fossils from Levubatisaurus, spanning the early to late Cretaceous, are particularly diverse within the ancient supercontinent Gondwana, with numerous specimens discovered in North Africa and South America.”

“Notably, Patagonia has produced more than half of all known rebbachisaurids, including the earliest forms and the most recent Rebbachisaurus.”

Fieldwork in the El Orejano region of the Huncul Formation in Patagonia, Argentina. Image credit: Flavio Bellardini.

Fossilized remains of Astigmasaura ungflexa were found in the El Orejano area of the Huncul Formation within the Neuquén Basin in Patagonia, Argentina.

The material type of Astigmasaura ungflexa was described by paleontologists.

This new species represents one of the last Levubatisaurus dinosaurs before it went extinct around 90 million years ago.

“Astigmasaura ungflexa shares a variety of traits with other rebbachisaurids, including anterior caudal vertebrae with tall neural spines and tetrameric nerve layers, an asymmetrical neural arch, a mesolaterally compressed proximal tibia, and medially tilted distal condyles and femurs,” the researchers noted.

“Furthermore, Astigmasaura ungflexa displays a unique combination of diagnostic features that set it apart from all other sauropods.”

“This new finding not only enhances our understanding of the previously unexplored caudal and pelvic girdle anatomy of Rebbachisauridae but also indicates greater taxonomic diversity within the family during the late stages of evolutionary history than previously recognized.”

The team’s paper was published online in the journal Cretaceous Research.

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Flavio Berardini et al. 2025. Alongside the Titans: a new Levuvacisaur dinosaur from the Huncul Formation (Upper Cenomanian) of Patagonia, Argentina. Cretaceous Research 176:106188; doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2025.106188

Source: www.sci.news

Newly Discovered Herbivorous Dinosaur Species from the Jurassic Period Unearthed in China

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A newly identified genus and species of the Eusauropod dinosaur has been discovered from a fossilized partial skeleton, which includes almost complete skulls, located in Ganshu province, China.

Skull of niedu in side view. Image credits: Li et al., doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-03210-5.

The newly recognized dinosaur species existed during the mid-Jurassic period, roughly 165 million years ago.

Named niedu, it is an early representative of the long-necked, exclusively herbivorous dinosaurs known as Eusauropoda.

“Sauropod dinosaurs, which are massive herbivores from the early Jurassic to the late Cretaceous period, have been found across all continents,” stated Dr. Ning Li, a researcher at a Chinese university of Earth Sciences.

“Due to global warming events occurring during the Late Jurassic, Eusauropod has become the sole surviving sauropod lineage.”

“In the middle and late Jurassic, non-neosauropods thrived, including taxa like Schnosaurus, Omeisaurus, and core forms of Mamenchisaurus.

Fossils of niedu were gathered from the base of the Xinhe Formation near Jinchan city in Gansu province, northwestern China.

The specimen comprises five cervical vertebrae and nearly complete mandibles, alongside 29 distinct caudal vertebrae.

The skull of niedu measures approximately 31 cm in length and 12.5 cm in height.

A sauropod dinosaur being chased by two carnivorous dinosaurs. Image credit: Lida Xing.

“Finding a well-preserved skull is uncommon in non-neosauropod eusauropods due to their fragility,” the paleontologist noted.

“The skull of niedu is exceptionally well maintained and nearly complete.”

“However, the left side of the skull shows deformation due to internal compression.”

“Most cranial sutures are clearly visible on niedu,” they added.

According to the researchers, niedu marks the earliest sauropod discovered in Gansu province.

“niedu is significant,” they concluded.

“We also present more information that enhances our understanding of sauropod evolutionary history in northwestern China.”

The paper was published in the journal Scientific Reports on May 23rd.

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N. Li et al. 2025. A new Eusauropod (dinosaurs, sauropods) from the central Jurassic in China. Sci Rep 15, 17936; doi:10.1038/s41598-025-03210-5

Source: www.sci.news

A Small Herbivorous Dinosaur Unearthed in Scotland

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Lead by a team of paleontologists from the National Museum of Scotland, this specimen is recognized as the first and most complete dinosaur skeleton discovered in Scotland to date.

The artist’s impression of Ornishkia’s dinosaurs. Image credit: Peter Trusler.

The newly identified specimen originates from the mid-Jurassic period, approximately 166 million years ago.

“Dinosaurs from the Triassic and Early Jurassic were typically small, bipedal, and carnivorous or omnivorous. However, by the late Jurassic, a remarkable diversification occurred, leading to the emergence of some of the largest terrestrial vertebrates to ever walk the Earth,” stated Dr. Elsa Pansilolli, a paleontologist and her colleagues at the National Museum of Scotland.

“This significant diversification in dinosaur species appears to have primarily occurred during the mid-Jurassic period, positioning these dinosaurs as key elements for understanding the drivers behind this rapid evolution.”

“Unfortunately, central Jurassic dinosaur fossils are exceedingly rare and underrepresented globally,” they added.

“Consequently, the early evolutionary history and major diversification of many dinosaur groups remain largely unknown.”

“Thus, new dinosaur findings from the central Jurassic are critical for unwinding the development of ecosystems dominated by dinosaurs.”

A 166 million-year-old skeleton of Ornithikian dinosaurs from the Kilmalag Formation on the Isle of Skye. Image credit: Pansilolli et al., doi: 10.1017/s1755691024000148.

Partial dinosaur skeletons were initially discovered in 1973, but the collection was only completed in 2018.

“The specimen comprises numerous bones and fragments that seem to originate from a single bedding plane within an area measuring approximately 60 cm x 40 cm,” remarked the paleontologist.

The skeleton was uncovered in the Kilmalag Formation, located north of the village of Ergol on the Isle of Skye.

This representation includes Scotland’s most comprehensive fossils, with its initial discovery preceding the earliest reported dinosaur fossils from Skye.

“The central Jurassic in Scotland is becoming more representative of fossil finds from the Kilmalag Formation, increasing its global significance in understanding this period of tetrapod evolution,” the researchers indicated.

“Despite being fragmented, it remains the most intact dinosaur specimen known from Scotland, including partial ilium, nerve arches, rib parts, and other key elements.”

The dinosaurs from the Middle Jurassic are likely Ornithischian Dinosaurs, known as Ornithopoda.

“If the specimen is confirmed to represent Ornithischian, as suggested by the partial iliac bone and histological sections, it signifies a geologically recent event in Scotland, originating from the Kilmalag Formation,” the scientist noted.

The team’s study has been published in the journal Earth and Environmental Science Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh.

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Elsa Panchiroli et al. The first and most complete dinosaur skeleton from the central Jurassic region of Scotland. Earth and Environmental Science Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh Published online on March 6, 2025. doi:10.1017/s1755691024000148

Source: www.sci.news

China unveils new herbivorous dinosaur species

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dubbing asian archaeologistA team of Chinese paleontologists say the newly discovered species is the earliest ornithischian dinosaur ever discovered in Asia.

asian archaeologist. Image credit: Yao others., doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.111641.

asian archaeologist It lived in what is now southwest China during the early Jurassic period, about 193 million years ago.

This dinosaur was about 1 meter (3.3 ft) long and belonged to a group of plant-eating dinosaurs called. ornithischian.

“Ornithischians, a prominent clade of dinosaurs, diversified into various forms such as ancleosaurs, stegosaurs, hadrosaurs, ceratopsians, and pachycephalosaurs throughout the Mesozoic era,” said Yunnan University paleontologist. Shi Yao et al. said.

“Like other non-avian dinosaurs, they were threatened with extinction at the end of the Cretaceous period, but their early evolutionary history remains debated.”

“During the Early Jurassic, ornithischian fossils were abundant and diverse on the Gondwana supercontinent.”

“In contrast, the Laurasian ornithischian fossil record from this period is less diverse and consists primarily of armored dinosaurs.”

Almost complete left femur asian archaeologist It was discovered in the Shujing Formation, about 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) north of Chongqing Central Park in Yubei District, Chongqing City, southwest China.

According to the research team, the new species shows compatibility with Gondwanan species. Eoccursor Parbus.

This discovery indicates that there was an early dispersal event of ornithischian dinosaurs from Gondwana to Laurasia, including East Asia, in the Early Jurassic period, independent of, and perhaps more than, the dispersal of armored dinosaurs. It seems that it is also early.

“The new phylogenetic topology proposed in the study suggests a more independent dispersal of ornithischian dinosaurs into East Asia during the Early Jurassic,” the researchers said.

“The close relationship between asian archaeologist and Eoccursor ParbusDespite their remote habitats, this suggests that they probably originated from Gondwana, then migrated north to Laurasia, and finally to East Asia during the Pliensbach period. . ”

“This timing could occur before the arrival of armored dinosaurs in the region.”

“Furthermore, this new topology hypothesizes the existence of a previously unrecognized cosmopolitan clade of early ornithischian dinosaurs, phylogenetically located between Heterodontosauridae and Thyleophora.”

“Nevertheless, due to its fragmentary nature, asian archaeologist Support for the holotype, this clade, remains tentative, awaiting further fossil discoveries. ”

of the team paper Published in this month's magazine iscience.

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X Yao others. New evidence of the oldest ornithischian dinosaur discovered in Asia. isciencepublished online on December 19, 2024. doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.111641

Source: www.sci.news

A newly discovered herbivorous dinosaur species

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A new genus and species of non-hadrosaur hadrosauroid dinosaur, Chienjiangsaurus chanshengi was identified from a specimen discovered in southwestern China in 2022.

Chienjiangsaurus chanshengi Image credit: Hai Xing/Sci.News.

Chienjiangsaurus chanshengi lived in China during the Late Cretaceous period, about 70 million years ago.

The 8-metre (26-foot) long herbivore Hadrosauroidea is a superfamily of ornithischian dinosaurs that includes the so-called duck-billed dinosaurs and their relatives.

“Hadrosauroids are a diverse and highly specialized clade of ornithischian dinosaurs whose fossils have been found in Early to Late Cretaceous deposits in Asia, Europe, America, Africa and Antarctica,” said paleontologist Dr. Hai Xin from the National Museum of Natural History of China, the Canadian Museum of Nature and the Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, and his colleagues.

“Phylogenically, it is defined as the most inclusive taxon, Parasaurolophus but, Iguanodon It is noted for its duck-billed snout and complex skull dentition.”

“Since the early 20th century, hadrosauroids have been considered an important component of the terrestrial vertebrate fauna of the entire Cretaceous.”

“The fossil record of this group contains a large amount of loose elements, dozens of heavily articulated skeletons, egg and fetal material, and bone bed assemblages that produce soft-tissue impressions and footprints.”

“Within the hadrosauroidea, non-hadrosaur species form a paraphyletic group that reveals a transitional morphology from early-diverging iguanodonts to hadrosaurids.”

“Most non-hadrosaur hadrosaurids are found in Cretaceous Asia, especially in northern and central China, and in the Early Cretaceous Exhibits, Xu Wulong and Probactrosaurus and the Late Cretaceous Tanius, Gilmoreosaurus and Zhang Henglong has been recovered.”

“However, comparable material from the Cretaceous of southwestern China is extremely scarce and fragmentary.”

Incomplete, partially articulated skeleton Chienjiangsaurus chanshengi Collected in 2022 Positive Yang Layer Chongqing, southwest China.

“Chienjiangsaurus chanshengi is the second officially named hadrosauroid dinosaur discovered in South China. Nanningosaurus dassiensis” the paleontologist said.

This specimen represents a transitional morphology between hadrosauroid and non-hadrosauroid dinosaurs and enhances our understanding of the diversity and evolution of non-hadrosauroid dinosaurs.

“The age distribution of eight hadrosaurids is Chienjiangsaurus chanshengi. Phylogenetically, it corresponds to the apex of the Zhengyang Formation during the Santonian to early Maastrichtian period. Chienjiangsaurus chanshengi “Fossils found are probably limited to the late Late Cretaceous,” the authors say.

“Hierarchical clustering of 12 hadrosauroid dinosaur assemblages from Late Cretaceous deposits in Asia revealed strong correlations between the Zhongyang Formation and the Djadokhta and Barungoyot Formations in Mongolia, supporting contemporaneous exchange of dinosaur faunas across East Asia.”

Team paper Published in the journal on August 27, 2024 Cretaceous Research.

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Huy Dai others A new late-divergent non-hadrosaur hadrosauroid species (Dinosauria: Ornithopoda) from southwestern China: supports Late Cretaceous dinosaur fauna exchange across East Asia. Cretaceous Research Published online August 27, 2024; doi: 10.1016/j.cretres.2024.105995

Source: www.sci.news