New dinosaur species found in China bridges key gap in evolution of colossal plant-eaters

Scientists have identified a new dinosaur species, Xiangyunloong fengming, in China. It lived 190 million years ago and was 9-10m long, making it one of the largest-known plant-eating dinosaurs found in China. The discovery enriches the morphological and ecological diversity of early-diverging sauropodomorphs in southwestern China, providing evidence for diverse adaptive strategies employed by these dinosaurs. The species had a larger body size, a shorter neck, and an elongated tail compared to similar dinosaurs, indicating an initial stage of gigantism.