China Discovers Mammoth Dinosaur Skeleton: 26ft Jurassic Beast, Nearly 70% Preserved, Uncovered In Rare 180 Million-Year-Old Find

Chinese paleontologists have discovered an extraordinarily complete Jurassic dinosaur skeleton.

The fossil, found in Lufeng in southwestern China, is 70 percent intact and belongs to a dinosaur believed to have been nearly eight meters long.

It was discovered in a dig in late May in soil dating to around 180 million years old, to the Jurassic period.

Chinese paleontologists have discovered an extraordinarily complete Jurassic dinosaur skeleton

The fossil, found in Lufeng, southwest China, is 70 percent intact and belongs to a dinosaur believed to have been nearly eight meters long.

It was discovered in a dig in late May in soil dating to around 180 million years old, to the Jurassic period.

The excavators said they believed the fossil to be a type of giant Lufengosaurus, a dinosaur from the early Jurᴀsic period.

Director of Lufeng City Dinosaur Fossil Conservation and Research Center Wang Tao said: “Such a complete dinosaur fossil is a rare find all over the world.”

He described the fossil as a “national treasure” and said his team now hoped to excavate the dinosaur’s skull.

“Based on the fossil that has been discovered over the years, in the tail and thigh bones, we believe this is a type of giant Lufengosaurus, which lived during the Early Jurassic period,” he added.

The center is planning an emergency excavation to salvage the skeleton because it was found in a place at risk of soil erosion.

The fossil has been described as a “national treasure” and excavators now hope to excavate the dinosaur’s skull.

The center plans an emergency excavation to rescue the skeleton because it was found in a place with a risk of soil erosion

Finding fossils as complete as this in Lufeng is a very rare occurrence in paleontology.

Finding fossils as complete as this in Lufeng is a very rare occurrence in paleontology.

This species made international headlines in 2017, when preserved collagen protein was discovered in the rib of a Lufengosaurus fossil.

The protein was 100 million years older than any previously discovered, the BBC reported at the time.

The scientists also found traces of a mineral that they believe would have been in the animal’s blood.

The excavators said they believe the fossil is a type of giant Lufengosaurus from the early Jurᴀsic period.

Lufengosaurus are believed to have been four-legged herbivores and have been colloquially named ‘Lufeng Lizards’

Lufengosaurus are believed to have been four-legged herbivores and have been colloquially referred to as ‘Lufeng Lizards’.

In early 2021, the skeleton of a young dinosaur from the same period was discovered in Lufeng.

The fossil was another interesting find by paleontologists in the region, as it does not match any other known species of dinosaur.