Paleontological Laboratory

     I have been studying Chinese vertebrate fossils through cooperation from researchers of the Institute of Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, and several local museums, China. Various subjects and materials have been studied such as a pathologic study of Chinese Psittacosaurus, a new ornithomimid Quipalong from Henan Province, a new oviraptorid Huanansaurus from Jiangxi Province, and another new oviraptorid Nemegtomaia from southern Gobi, Mongolia. Our team also published a new pterosaur, belonging to Dsugaripteridae in Geological Magazine.

 

    China has an interesting track site in Gansu Province. Among many interesting tracks, we described unusual swimming ornithopod trackways, which have only toe-impressions with a tail dragging mark, indicating they were approaching the lakeshore. It means that dinosaurs sometimes got into the water perhaps escaping from predation and across the river. At the same tracksite, a new dromaeopodid ichnospecies, Dromaeosauripus youngjingensis was also discovered from six trackways. None of these trackways are parallel or closely spaced, suggesting that they were made by solitary track makers.