doi.org/10.7717/peerj.19664
Credibility: 989
#Fossil
Every new discovery in paleontology moves us away from the image of dinosaurs that Hollywood has created, like the reptilian giants of *Jurassic Park*
Today, we know that many dinosaurs didn’t have hard, scaly skin, but rather feather-like structures, like modern birds.
Now, scientists in China have found fossils of a new species of dinosaur that didn’t roar like a monster, but likely made high-pitched sounds, like bird calls.
This revelation came from the discovery of fossilized bones, including parts of the voice box, of a dinosaur called *Pulaosaurus qinglong*.
Let’s explore this fascinating discovery and what it teaches us about the planet’s past.
Who is *Pulaosaurus qinglong*?
Chinese scientists have discovered fossils of a new species of dinosaur, named *Pulaosaurus qinglong*, after “Pulao,” a mythical Chinese dragon known for its loud call.
This dinosaur measured about 60 centimeters long and belonged to the Neornithischia group, a subcategory of the Ornithischia, herbivorous dinosaurs with a bird-like pelvic structure.
It lived about 165 to 150 million years ago, during the Middle to Late Jurassic period, in a region of northeastern China called the Yanliao Biota, famous for its dinosaur fossils.
The fossil is special because it is the first neornithischian dinosaur discovered in the Yanliao Biota.
Until then, most studies in this region focused on small carnivorous dinosaurs (theropods) or primitive birds, leaving herbivores like Pulaosaurus less explored.
This lack of fossils created a gap in knowledge, making it difficult to understand how these dinosaurs evolved.
The discovery, published in the scientific journal PeerJ, helps fill this gap.
What does the fossil reveal?
The Pulaosaurus qinglong fossil was found in the Tiaojishan Formation in Hebei Province, northern China.
It is incredibly well preserved, including a nearly complete skeleton with vertebrae, limbs, pelvis, laryngeal bones (voice box), and even some rare soft tissue structures.
Because the dinosaur was juvenile, it offers unique insight into how these animals developed.
Scientists performed a phylogenetic analysis, which is like assembling a family tree, to understand where Pulaosaurus fits into dinosaur evolution.
They found it to be among the oldest neornithischians ever found.
Even more impressive, this is only the second dinosaur with fossilized laryngeal bones, which allowed researchers to study how it produced sounds.
Pulaosaurus’s larynx had elongated, leaf-shaped cartilaginous structures, much like those of modern birds.
This suggests that, instead of roaring like we imagine dinosaurs, it likely made high-pitched sounds, like chirps or bird calls.
This idea completely changes the way we think about these animals, bringing them even closer to their modern relatives, birds.
What did it eat?
Besides the sounds, scientists wanted to know what Pulaosaurus ate.
When examining its stomach cavity, they found small, round stones and tiny marks that appear to be seeds or other plant material.
The structure of its teeth, jaw, and tongue showed that this dinosaur preferred soft plant foods, such as leaves and shoots.
Unlike the ferocious carnivores of *Jurassic Park*, Pulaosaurus was a calm herbivore, munching on plants calmly.
Why is this discovery important?
The discovery of Pulaosaurus qinglong is like finding a missing piece of a puzzle.
It helps us better understand the diversity of dinosaurs in the Yanliao Biota, a region that has already yielded many important fossils.
Previously, scientists had little information about herbivorous dinosaurs like neornithischians in this area, making it difficult to trace how they evolved.
Now, Pulaosaurus fills this gap, showing that these dinosaurs were present and diverse in the Jurassic.
The fossilized larynx is another highlight.
Because it’s very rare to find these preserved bones, this discovery allows scientists to explore how dinosaurs communicated.
The idea that Pulaosaurus sang like a bird makes us rethink the behavior of these animals.
Perhaps dinosaurs were louder and more varied in their sounds than we imagined, using songs to communicate, attract mates, or mark territory.
What’s next?
This discovery opens new doors for paleontology.
Scientists can now compare Pulaosaurus with other dinosaurs and birds to better understand how evolution led from dinosaurs to modern birds.
Furthermore, the Yanliao Biota remains a treasure trove for paleontologists, and more fossils may reveal even more about life in the Jurassic.
The study also highlights how science is changing our understanding of dinosaurs.
Far from the roaring monsters of movies, many of them were covered in feathers and perhaps even sang like birds.
Each fossil discovered helps us reconstruct the planet’s past and understand how life evolved over millions of years.
Conclusion
Pulaosaurus qinglong is more than just a new dinosaur-it’s a window into a lost world.
With its larynx that suggests birdlike calls and its diet of soft plants, this small herbivore shows us that dinosaurs were far more diverse and complex than we imagined.
The discovery at Yanliao Biota reinforces the connection between dinosaurs and birds, as well as filling important gaps in the history of evolution.
It’s a reminder that with each fossil found, we get closer to understanding our planet’s incredible past and the animals that once roamed it.
Published in 07/23/2025 06h49
Text adapted by AI (Grok) and translated via Google API in the English version. Images from public image libraries or credits in the caption. Information about DOI, author and institution can be found in the body of the article.
Reference article:
Original study:
| Geoprocessing Drone Systems HPC |
| ERP and CRM Systems Mobile Systems AI |