Paleontologists in northeast China may have discovered the remains of a new species of dinosaur among what is said to be the world’s largest group of fossilized dinosaur bones, state media announced.
Scientists in Zhucheng city, Shandong province have for months been exploring a gully over 500m long and 26m deep that is strewn with thousands of dinosaur bones, the Jilu Evening News said.
Paleontologists believe that a fossilized skeleton dug up in Zhucheng and shipped to the China Academy of Sciences in Beijing last week could be a new species of dinosaur, the report said.
They have already dug up the biggest-ever duck-billed dinosaur and found Asia’s first remains of a ceratopsidae, a giant horned dinosaur, it added.
The trove of dinosaur bones lies in an area in Shandong that has been known for numerous similar finds, with two major digs taking place in the region since 1964, the report said.
Experts said the discovery of so many dinosaurs in such a dense area could provide clues about how the animals became extinct millions of years ago, it added.
Scientists at the dig have also identified the remains of ankylosaurus, tyrannosaurus and coelurus, with many of the fossils dating to about 70 million years ago, reports said.
Plans are being made to set up a fossil park in the area, it said.(AFP)
中國國營媒體宣告，古生物學者在中國東北堪稱全世界最大的恐龍遺骸化石群中，可能發現了一種新品種的恐龍。
《冀魯晚報》報導，科學家在山東省諸城市一道長五百公尺、深二十六公尺的溝壑中挖掘了數個月後，挖掘出數千塊恐龍遺骸。
報導指出，古生物學家認為諸城出土的一塊化石骨骸可能屬於新種恐龍，因此上週將這塊化石寄到北京中國科學院鑑定。
報導中也提到，他們已挖掘到史上最大的鴨嘴恐龍，及亞洲第一具角龍（一種大型有角的恐龍）化石。
報導中提到，這次挖掘到珍貴恐龍骨骸的山東該地區，自一九六四年以來，因兩次大型挖掘工作挖出許多恐龍化石而聞名。
報導補充，專家表示這些出土的恐龍化石位置之密集，有助了解幾百萬年前這些動物滅絕的經過。
報導指出，參與挖掘工作的科學家也發現甲龍、暴龍和虛骨龍的化石遺骸，其中許多化石的年代可追溯至約七千萬年前。
報導指出，中國政府計畫在該區建造一座化石公園。
（法新社╱翻譯：袁星塵）
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