New research confirmed the discovery of two new dinosaurs species in China’s northwestern region. The two massive dinosaurs are the first vertebrate fossils found in the region.
Meet the new dinosaur species
Recently, several fossils were unearthed from Xinjiang and Turpan-Hami Basin, in northwestern China. It includes preserved embryos and eggs in addition to fragments of pterosaurs’ rib cages and spinal vertebrae. Researchers confirmed and identified them as a part of three unknown dinosaurs. According to the study, this is the first discovery of two of the specimens.
The two new unknown species are — Silutitan sinensis, meaning silk road in Mandria. The second species is Hamititan xinjiangensis, named after the place the scientists found the fossils.
More on the new discovery
The Silutitan dinosaur may be over 20 meters in length whereas the Hamititian is about 17 meters long. This discovery makes the two dinosaurs almost as large as the blue whales! After all, blue whales range from 23 to 30 meters depending on their species and location.
Moreover, the fossils date back about 120 to 130 million years ago, placing them in the early cretaceous period. According to the researches, the discovery is the sign of “increasing the diversity of the fauna as well as the information on Chinese sauropods”. However, the third species found along with the other two new dinosaur species is not a new species. But, it resembles a somphospondylan sauropod. They are types of dinosaurs that roamed the earth between the late Jurassic and late Cretaceous periods.