Ancient Asian Armored Dinosaur Found in China
A new type of armored dinosaur has been described in China. It belongs to therophores, a subspecies of “armored” herbivorous dinosaurs that lived 192-174 million years ago during the early Jurassic.
The species was named Yuxisaurus kopchicki, and the individual found in Yunnan province was the first well-preserved armored dinosaur found in Asia.
According to the research paper published by Xi Yao of Yunnan University and colleagues, the new dinosaur species had a massive physique, serrated armor, and unusual growths on its body.
The authors wrote: The fossil consists of a nearly complete skeleton, including fragments of skull, vertebrae, fragments of limbs, and several pieces of a shield. The shell unequivocally tells us that the species belonged to the same group of stegosaurs and ankylosaurs, but Y. kopchicki lived before them. “
Scientists note that Y. kopchicki was most likely a quadrupedal, and could sometimes walk on its hind legs.
The researchers hope the new species will help understand how armored dinosaurs spread across the Earth and how they evolved.
