In an exciting development for paleontology enthusiasts worldwide, scientists have uncovered the world's largest deinonychosaur tracks in Lincheng Town, located in the southeast region of China's Fujian Province.
Over the years, the Longxiang tracksite has been a hotspot for fossil hunters, with researchers from the China University of Geosciences and the Yingliang Stone Natural History Museum identifying at least eight distinct types of dinosaur footprints. Among these, 12 are iconic didactyl—that is, two-toed—tracks characteristic of deinonychosaurs, a group of agile and intelligent theropod dinosaurs.
The latest discovery stands out with five exceptionally large tracks, each measuring an average of 36.4 centimeters in length and 16.9 centimeters in width. These impressive footprints have led paleontologists to classify a new dinosaur species: Fujianipus yingliangi.
This groundbreaking find not only provides deeper insights into the diversity and distribution of deinonychosaurs but also enriches our understanding of the prehistoric ecosystems that once thrived in what is now modern-day Fujian.
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World's largest deinonychosaur tracks discovered in China's Fujian
cgtn.com
