Species of dinosaur 125 million years-old discovered in China
"These animals were quickly covered by fine sediment while they were still alive or just after their death," said paleontologist Pascal Godefroit of the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences.
By JERUSALEM POST STAFFDinosaurs(photo credit: Wikimedia Commons)
Paleontologists discovered a new species of burrowing dinosaur that died underground after a volcanic eruption trapped them in their underground habitat, according to a Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences press release."These animals were quickly covered by fine sediment while they were still alive or just after their death," said paleontologist Pascal Godefroit of the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences.The researchers likened the event to a sort of Cretaceous Pompeii, where clouds of ashes would block out the sun and immediately cover the surrounding forests around the eruption. The discovered species would have been underground during this time, falling victim to the eruption in the process.The species of the two fossils discovered - believed to be 125 million years old - was named Changmiania liaoningensis by the researchers, Changmian means 'eternal sleep' in Chinese. According to the report, it is the "most primitive ornithopod dinosaur to date."The dinosaur fossils themselves, were found along the Yixian Formation in China within the Lujiatun Beds - the oldest layers of the geographic formation - which in recent years has provided many well-preserved skeletons of feathered dinosaurs.It measured 1.2 meters long, and is believed to have been a bipedal herbivore ornthipod. Based on skeletal structure, it is purported to be similar to the Bernissart Iguanodons as well as the duck-billed dinosaurs. It is believed to be a fast runner as well as a skillful burrower, which led to the unfortunate demise of the two discover in the Lujiatun Beds."Certain characteristics of the skeleton suggest that Changmiania could dig burrows, much like rabbits do today," said Godefroit. "Its neck and forearms are very short but robust, its shoulder blades are characteristic of burrowing vertebrates and the top of its snout is shaped like a shovel. So we believe that both Changmiania specimens were trapped by the volcanic eruption when they were resting at the bottom of their burrows 125 million years ago."The researchers' full findings were published in the scientific journal PeerJ.
