- Scientists have identified a new dinosaur species, Xiangyunloong fengming, which lived 190 million years ago in what is now southwestern China.
- Measuring 9-10 metres long, this plant-eating dinosaur is one of the largest found in China from the Early Jurassic epoch, a crucial period for the diversification of long-necked dinosaurs.
- The species was distinguished by a unique combination of features, including a larger body size, a shorter neck, and an elongated tail, suggesting an initial stage of gigantism and potential bipedalism.
- Its discovery, based on bone fragments found in Yunnan province, bridges a significant gap in the evolutionary understanding of long-necked giant dinosaurs.
- Researchers suggest Xiangyunloong represents an alternative evolutionary pathway, highlighting the diverse adaptive strategies employed by these dinosaurs before the dominance of the very long-necked sauropods.
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