China News Service, Beijing, February 24 (Reporter Sun Zifa) The reporter learned from the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (Institute of Paleontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences) on the 24th that the latest researcher Liu Jun from the Institute found Turpan in the Daqingshan fauna in Inner Mongolia. The new fossil of the genus "Nine Peaks Turpan" is about 255 million to 252 million years ago. This is also the first genus of bidentate that was found 250 million years ago in both tropical and temperate zones.
Researcher Liu Jun introduced the fossil specimens of the Jiufeng Turpan beast discovered in the new research.
Photo by Sun Zifa
This important paper by Chinese scientists in the field of paleozoological research was recently published online by the international professional academic journal PeerJ.
Liu Jun introduced that Daqingshan is the Yinshan "Chilechuan, under Yinshan". The latest research in the Daqingshan fauna is the most common type of bidentate fossils in the Permian Naobaogou Formation. The new discoveries include 1 Five individuals, including a nearly complete bidentate skeleton, were classified into the Turpan genus and named a new species "Nine Peak Turpan".
Researcher Liu Jun showed and introduced the bidentate fossil discovered in Xinjiang by geologist Yuan Fuli in the 1930s. This is also one of the earliest bidentate fossils discovered in China.
Photo by Sun Zifa
Turpan beasts are large bidentate beasts, the individual can reach more than 2 meters, the size is equivalent to the current hippopotamus, and the largest skull length is currently known to exceed 60 cm.
Their muzzle is high and steep, the face area is full of small pits, the anterior parietal bone is sunken, the mesotemporal area is narrow and long, the anterior jaw is connected with the frontal bone, and the palatal surface of the anterior jaw can be seen from the side.
The newly discovered and named new species "Jiufeng Turpan" is compared with the Bogda species previously discovered in Xinjiang. The main differences include: the lacrimal bone is connected with the septal jaw, the nasal bone is prominently protruding, and the canine teeth are positioned relative to the anterior edge of the orbit. Farther back, the lacrimal bone extends forward less than the forehead, and the front jaw has a mid-back ridge.
Researcher Liu Jun introduced the fossil specimens of the Jiufeng Turpan beast discovered in the new research.
Photo by Sun Zifa
Liu Jun pointed out that although bidentates were common quadrupeds at that time, there were still few species with complete skeletons, especially medium to large species.
The newly discovered "Nine Peak Turpan Beast" positive type specimen preserves a complete spine composed of 50 vertebrae (6 cervical vertebrae, 23 dorsal vertebrae, 6 sacral vertebrae, and 15 tail vertebrae).
At present, the number of bidentate vertebrae is between 40-50, most of which have 6 cervical vertebrae, 3-7 sacral vertebrae, no more than 25 dorsal vertebrae and 15 tail vertebrae, and their tails are not long.
A fossil specimen of Turpan beast from Jiufeng.
Photo courtesy of Liu Jun
Among the Permian tetrapods, Turpan is the only species that has been confirmed to be distributed in both Xinjiang and North China, indicating that the age of the Guodikeng Formation in Xinjiang and the Naobaogou Formation are roughly the same. Comprehensive research comparisons suggest that the Naobaogou Formation The era is roughly 255-252 million years ago. "There has been no discovery (250 million years ago) of the genus of Bidentate that is distributed in both tropical and temperate zones, and Turpan is the first one." Liu Jun said. (Finish)