What does the first feathered dinosaur on Earth look like? Where did the earliest angiosperms grow? What kind of mammals dare to prey on dinosaurs? "Le·Tu—Liaoning Paleontological Fossils Boutique Exhibition" was recently held in Liaoning Provincial Museum . Based on the latest scientific research achievements made by paleontologists, the exhibition presents the audience with paleontological fossils with diverse categories and shapes billions of years ago in Liaoning. In combination with multimedia display and paleontological restoration maps, the ancient life active on this paradise in the Liaoning region during the Mesozoic period.
China is a world's largest country in discovering paleontological fossils and a strong country in research. Liaoning has rich paleontological fossil resources and is a province with a large fossil resource. It ranks among the top in the country in total fossils and is an important fossil production area that is world-renowned. Under the coordination of , the curatorial team selected 87 fossil fine works from more than 4,000 collections of 11 paleontological fossil collection units in Liaoning Province, and exhibited them together with more than 40 fossils collected by the Liaoning Provincial Museum. The theme of revolves around questions such as "What are fossils", "Is dinosaur egg big", "Why are footprints concave and convex", "Is pterosaur a dinosaur", "What are dinosaurs named after China or Liaoning", etc., vividly popularize paleontology knowledge in the exhibition, so that the audience can feel the charm of paleontology fossils up close.
Herthalene Near Bird Dragon Fossil
At the exhibition site, a fossil that looks like a dragon and a bird attracted many viewers to stop and watch. "This is a fossil of Hessian Neith Dragon. It was discovered in the Jurassic Honjishan Formation in Linglongta area of Jianchang County, Liaoning Province. Its formation dates from about 160 million years ago." Zhang Li, deputy director of the Liaoning Provincial Museum, introduced that Hessian Neith Dragon is a dinosaur with feathers. Compared with Archaeoptera , the Hexa Nei Bird's flying feathers are smaller, and the feather axis is also thinner, the feathers are more symmetrical, and the reflective features are more primitive. This fossil is the world's earliest hairy dinosaur fossil discovered to date, filling the gap in dinosaur evolution to birds.
Hessian near bird dragon restoration map
On the paradise, the evolution between creatures continues to take place. In the "Flowers and Insects" exhibition unit, Liaoning Ancient Fruit , known as the "first flower in the world", appeared together with fossils such as "cockroaches, cicada , dragonflies, grasshopper " from the dinosaur era. From the surface of Liaoning ancient fruit fossils, the fossils are well preserved and their morphological characteristics are clearly visible. provides strong evidence for the origin of flowering plants in the world in western Liaoning.
Strong reptile fossils
"The paleontological fossils in the Liaoning region are not only numerous and complete in categories, but also relatively complete individual preservation." Researcher of the Liaoning Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology and Director of the Chinese Vertebrate Paleontology Society Fu Renyi said that the Mesozoic Era 120 to 30 million years ago and the Cenozoic Era hundreds of thousands of years ago, the paleontological fossils were relatively rich in the Liaoning region. The main representative of the former is the Rehe fauna in western Liaoning, and the latter is mammalian fossils and paleoman fossils.
strong reptile beast restoration map
"A fossil is an ancient biological code." Zhang Li introduced that the exhibition also showed the world the unique ecosystem of land and animal and plant communities in freshwater through three units: "Prehistoric Dragon Palace - Aquatic Vertebrates", "Dinosaurs, Birds and Pterodes", and "Ancient Lush-Ancient Plants". These fossils that are full of the crystallization and fruitful achievements of paleontologists of all ages will lead the audience to explore the scientific problems that mankind has been pursuing for many years, and appreciate the unique style of the biological paradise in the Mesozoic period of Liaoning.
(Guangming Daily All-Media Reporter Liu Yong Correspondent Li Qingpo, picture provided by Liaoning Provincial Museum, restoration picture drawn by scientific painter Chen Yu)
Source: Guangming Daily All-Media Reporter Liu Yong Correspondent Li Qingpo, picture provided by Liaoning Provincial Museum, restoration picture drawn by scientific painter Chen Yu
Editor: Zhang Yongqun
Editor: Zhang Xueyu Fan Tianpei
Editor: Zhang Yongqun Editor: Zhang Xueyu
