La Jornada: China: dinosaur found that sheds light on the evolution of long-necked giants

A group of scientists has identified a new species of dinosaur that lived 190 million years ago in what is now China, filling a key gap in the understanding of the evolution of long-necked giants.

He Xiangyunloong fengming It measured between nine and 10 meters in length, making it one of the largest herbivorous dinosaurs found in the country. It lived during the Early Jurassic, between 201 and 174 million years ago, a crucial period in which long-necked herbivorous dinosaurs emerged and diversified.

The genus name combines Xiangyun, the county where the fossil was found, and loongwhich means dragon in Chinese tradition. For its part, the name of the species, fengmingwhich translates as phoenix song, refers to the evolutionary relationship between dinosaurs and birds, considered their living descendants. It also alludes to Luming, the town where the specimen was found.

“Furthermore, Fengming was the original name of Lin Fengmian, a prominent artist and founder of the Chinese Academy of Art, whose team participated in this project,” the researchers noted in a study published in the journal Royal Society Open Science.

The researchers identified the new species from fragments of bones from the neck, pelvis, spine and hip, found in a site in the Fengjiahe Formation, in Yunnan province, southwest China.

From this material, they determined that Xiangyunloong It is distinguished from other long-necked sauropods by a unique combination of traits. “It presents clear morphological differences compared to Xingxiulong and other early sauropodomorphs, which supports their classification as a new genus,” they noted.

The animal had a larger body, shorter neck and longer tail compared to similar species. These characteristics suggest an initial stage of gigantism, typical of this group, and also point to a possible ability to move on two legs.

According to the researchers, this set of traits could reflect an evolutionary path different from the lengthening of the neck that characterizes many of its relatives.

“These findings provide new evidence about the various adaptive strategies that these dinosaurs developed before the dominance of large long-necked sauropods,” they explained. “The discovery of Xiangyunloong “significantly expands the morphological and ecological diversity of early sauropodomorphs in southwestern China.”