The Liaoning Province in northeastern China is home to some of the most impressive fossil bed in the world . Farmers in the region of late uncovered the most - perfect remains of a never - before - seen species of armoured dinosaur . Examination of the fogy was led by Fenglu Han of the Chinese Academy of Sciences , who also serves as lede author of the paper publish inPLOS ONE .
The Modern species , Chuanqilong chaoyangensis , be about 110 million years ago in the Early Cretaceous full stop . It belong to family Ankylosauridae , which are herbivorous , quadrupedal dinosaurs with heavy armored eubstance .
This particular specimen was about 4.5 meter ( 14.7 feet ) long , which is about as long as a mid - sized railroad car . While that ’s a pretty vainglorious beast , investigator suspect that the animal was a juvenile person and could have reached lengths of 8 m ( 26 ft ) as an grownup . This coinage may have been among the largest of the ankylosaurs . Likely due to change in the environment and availability of nutrients during the Cretaceous , many dinosaur reach unbelievable heights .
This is the fourth known species of ankylosaur to be discovered in the region from the Cretaceous , which suggest there was a fair amount of variety in the area . However , while many late members of the kin Ankylosauridae had clumps of os at the end of a tail end that could be used as a club , C. chaoyangensisdid not have that feature . The specimen was also lack cranial armour . The researcher state that this would likely put the unexampled species toward the al-Qaeda of the clade , before that trait evolve .
to declare the dodo as a new species , the research worker examined the dinosaur ’s cheek teeth , humerus , pelvic pearl , aloofness ratio from hind limbs to forelimb , and unguals , which are chela - shaped bone digits . The features appeared novel , even when liken to other juveniles from different specie .
However , the researchers go for to someday study an adultC. chaoyangensis , to get a better agreement of the species . Juvenile characteristic are often underdeveloped , and opening in the fogey record for other ankylosaurus make it unclear which traits change at certain points in development .
“ Postcranial fabric of Chuanqilong chaoyangensis . A , correct scapula in lateral view ; B , leave humerus in cranial view ; C , correct humerus in lateral view ; D , left ulna in median prospect ; E , left radius in median view ; F , disarticulate left metacarpals and phalanges ; G , correct femur in taillike view ; H , left femur in cranial persuasion ; I , articulated left tibia and fibula in cranial purview ; J , ripe metatarsals in cranial view ; unguals in both cranial and caudal view . Note that due to condensation of the veracious femoris , the cranial trochanter is visible in posterior view whereas it would commonly be obscure . Abbreviations : dc , deltopectoral crest ; fh , femoral head ; fi , fibula ; fth , fourthly trochanter ; gt , greater trochanter ; lc , sidelong condyle ; ct , cranial trochanter ; mc , medial condyle ; ti , tibia . ” Image credit : Han et al . , 2014
[ chapeau tip : LiveScience ]
