China discovers a new type of dinosaur that lived 190 million years ago

Chinese scientists have found a new taxon of armored dinosaurs (Thyreophora) from the Early Jurassic in Southwest China’s Yunnan province.

The findings were published in the journal eLife, and further research on an associated partial skeleton that includes a skull, shaft, limb, and armor elements, said the vertebrate research team from the College of Life Sciences. Yunnan University.

The new taxon, named Yuxisaurus kopchicki, was identified based on numerous cranial and postcranial autapomorphies. It was further distinguished from other thyreophorans by a unique combination of character states, the research article noted.

Armored dinosaurs are generally believed to have lived during the late Jurassic 150 million years ago.

The dinosaur fossil was first found in Jiaojiadian village in Yunnan’s Yuxi city, buried in Early Jurassic strata 190 million years ago.

“It is the oldest known thyreophorous dinosaur found in Asia so far”Bi Shundong, corresponding author of the article, was quoted by Xinhua as saying.