In the rolling landscapes of east China’s Jiangxi Province, a remarkable discovery has emerged from the depths of time. Beneath a bustling construction site in Ganxian District, paleontologists have unearthed the fossilized remains of a previously unknown dinosaur species, dating back 90 million years to the Cretaceous period.
The new species, named Gandititan cavocaudatus, is a titanosaurian sauropod—a group of giant, long-necked herbivorous dinosaurs that once roamed ancient Earth. This finding sheds new light on the diversity and distribution of sauropods in what is now Asia.
“The integrity and delicacy of these fossils are exceptional,” said Wang Lingyun, deputy curator of the Jiangxi Geological Museum. “Discovering about 40 percent of a dinosaur’s skeleton is rare anywhere in the world.”
Unearthed in June 2021, the fossils include six articulated cervical vertebrae, two partial dorsal vertebrae, a complete sacrum connected with the first 17 caudal vertebrae, and part of the right pelvis. The well-preserved vertebral column has allowed scientists to estimate the dinosaur’s total body length at approximately 14 meters—a relatively modest size among sauropods.
The discovery is the result of a collaborative effort between the Jiangxi Geological Museum, the China University of Geosciences (CUG) in Wuhan, and the Jiangxi Geological Survey and Exploration Institute. Restoration and research commenced shortly after the excavation.
“This new species enhances our understanding of sauropod evolution and their paleogeographic distribution during the Cretaceous period,” explained Han Fenglu, the project leader from CUG in central China’s Hubei Province. “It provides valuable data on the diversity of Titanosauria in this region.”
Published in the Journal of Systematic Palaeontology on January 17, the findings have attracted attention from scholars worldwide. The discovery not only enriches China’s paleontological record but also offers insights into the ancient ecosystems that once thrived in Asia.
As researchers continue to study Gandititan cavocaudatus, this ancient giant from the Cretaceous period promises to deepen our understanding of Earth’s distant past and the magnificent creatures that inhabited it.
Reference(s):
Ancient fossils in China belong to new dinosaur species: experts
cgtn.com
