Yongjinglong is a type of dinosaur that lived a long time ago during the Early Cretaceous period. It was discovered in an area called the Lanzhou-Minhe Basin in Gansu Province, China.
The name Yongjinglong comes from the Yongjing County, where the fossils were found. The word “long” means “dragon” in Chinese. The specific name, datangi, pays tribute to the Tang dynasty and a researcher named Zhi-Lu Tang for his help in studying dinosaurs.
This dinosaur is known only from a few bones and teeth that make up a partial skeleton. Among these, there is a shoulder blade and several vertebrae, which are the bones that make up the spine. The fossils that were found suggest that this Yongjinglong was a young adult, not fully grown.
Yongjinglong was a medium-sized long-necked dinosaur, known as a sauropod. Some interesting features of Yongjinglong include:
– Its teeth were long and spoon-shaped, perfect for eating plants.
– The bones in its neck and back had special features like deep spaces called pleurocoels, which helped lighten their weight.
– The shape of its spine and shoulder blade was unique, with a very long shoulder blade and simple spine shapes.
Scientists grouped Yongjinglong within a family of dinosaurs known as Euhelopodidae. It shares relatives with other long-necked dinosaurs like Huanghetitan and Ruyangosaurus.
The discovery of Yongjinglong helps us learn more about the diversity of dinosaurs that roamed the Earth millions of years ago, especially the fascinating sauropods, which were among the largest animals to ever live!