Fossilised Eggs and Large Dinosaur Bones Discovered

Sources at the Institute of Vertebrate Palaeontology and Palaeoanthropology (IVPP) in Beijing, China have reported the discovery of a large number of dinosaur fossils at a site in Laiyang City, in Shandong Province (East China). Over 130 fossils including fossilised egg fragments and large dinosaur bones were unearthed at an excavation adjacent to the village of Jingangko.

Dinosaur Fossils

Fossils were first discovered at the site back in 2010 and palaeontologists working for the IVPP have stated that many of the fossils are in an excellent state of preservation.  Field workers have sealed off the fossils and their exposed matrix with gypsum to protect them before the site can be properly mapped and formal excavation work begun.

Wang Xiaolin, a researcher with the Institute and the scientist in charge of this site declared:

“Most of the fossils are relatively intact, and this is favourable for assembly of a complete dinosaur skeleton.”

Fossilised Bones

Amongst the many fossilised bones the researchers have already recovered is a sixty centimetre long humerus (upper arm bone).  The strata is particularly rich in fossil vertebrates and this latest excavation is one of a number going on in the area as palaeontologists have already unearthed many dinosaur fossils from at least twenty different layers of strata.  Two years ago, the Chinese state set up the Laiyang region as a national park for dinosaur fossil remains.

Great Wealth of Dinosaur Fossils in Eastern China

The enormous amount of dinosaur fossils in Eastern China.

The enormous amount of dinosaur fossils in Eastern China.

Picture credit: Institute of Vertebrate Palaeontology and Palaeoanthropology

The picture above shows acclaimed Chinese palaeontologist Xing Xu amongst a bone bed of hadrosaur fossils.

Hadrosaur Fossils

Shandong Province has been regarded as one of the most important dinosaur sites discovered in the last one hundred years or so.  A number of important discoveries have been made, including a new genus of tyrannosaurid and in 2010, Chinese scientists uncovered the fossilised remains of a new genus of large horned dinosaur which was named Sinoceratops zhuchengensis.

To read more about this discovery: New Genus of Chinese Ceratopsid Discovered.

PNSO have created a wondeful Sinoceratops figure. To view the extensive PNSO range: PNSO Age of Dinosaurs – Models and Figures.