Dinosaurs once lived in Fujian! Return to the Cretaceous and dance with the dragons

In November 2020, more than 240 Late Cretaceous dinosaur footprint fossils were discovered in Longxiang Village, Shanghang County, Longyan City for the first time. This was the first time that dinosaur fossils were discovered in Fujian, ending the history of "no dinosaurs in Fujian" and opening the prelude to Fujian geologists' exploration of dinosaur fossils. Over the past three years, the scale of dinosaur footprints in Shanghang County, Longyan City, Fujian Province has continued to expand, with a total of nearly 1,500 dinosaur footprint fossils discovered. This is the largest known "Deinonychus footprint" in the world, and a new footprint genus and species have been established. This issue of the "Meeting in Science" column invites Li Yujuan and Deng Ke, senior engineers from the Fujian Institute of Geological Survey, to return to the Cretaceous to explore the world of dinosaurs.

Return to the Cretaceous and dance with dragons

"Meet Science Popularization" Issue 13

1. How are dinosaur footprint fossils formed?

Dinosaur footprints are the most common trace fossils, which are the fossils left by dinosaurs when they walked. The semi-arid climate and frequent rise and fall of the lake level create good conditions for the formation and preservation of dinosaur footprints .

2. How does the discovery of dinosaur footprint fossils help in studying dinosaurs?

****As a new branch of dinosaur research, dinosaur footprints can not only reflect the daily living habits and behaviors of dinosaurs, but also explain the relationship between dinosaurs and their environment . They play a role that cannot be replaced by dinosaur bone fossils.

3. What is the significance of the discovery of the Shanghang dinosaur footprint group?

The discovery of dinosaur footprints in Shanghang, Fujian, has greatly expanded the area of ​​dinosaur activities and also demonstrated the huge research potential of Fujian's dinosaur footprint group, which is of great significance for the study of China's Late Cretaceous dinosaur fauna.