Yuzhoulong is a type of dinosaur that belongs to a group called macronarian sauropods. These dinosaurs lived during the Middle Jurassic period, specifically around the Bathonian age.
The name “Yuzhoulong” means “Chongqing dragon,” which comes from Yuzhou, an old name for the city of Chongqing in China. The specific name of this dinosaur is “Yuzhoulong qurenensis,” where “qurenensis” refers to Quren, another old name from the region.
Yuzhoulong was discovered in 2016 in a place called the Shaximiao Formation. Researchers found only a partial skeleton, which included some parts of its skull. This dinosaur was classified as a young, immature individual. When the bones were found, they were mixed with other dinosaur fossils.
Scientists placed Yuzhoulong into a family tree of dinosaurs. They found that Yuzhoulong was one of the earlier types of macronarians. This discovery shows that macronarians existed earlier than expected and that there was a greater variety of these large dinosaurs during that time.
In summary, Yuzhoulong is an exciting find from the Jurassic period that helps us learn more about the history and diversity of dinosaurs!