(ECNS) -- Chinese researchers have found large dinosaur footprints and major fossil remains in Zhucheng, Shandong province, during field studies this spring season, preliminarily proving the place to be in the early Cretaceous strata.
The newly found trace fossils were identified as belonging to sauropod and therapod dinosaurs, according to Chen Shuqing, a staff member at the Dinosaur Culture Research Center of Zhucheng.
New dinosaur fossil sites found in Zhucheng this year reveal that this place was abundant in vegetation and lakes during the Mesozoic era, suitable for dinosaurs to live, according to Chen.
"Footprints of sauropod and therapod dinosaurs have been discovered before at a fossil site 10 kilometers away, which is proof that these dinosaurs once lived here in the Mesozoic era," said Chen.
Along with the footprints, a relatively complete water-ripple-looking fossil has also been found. According to Chen, it reveals that the place was once a shallow lake.
More than 30 dinosaur fossil burial sites with a total area of nearly 1,000 square kilometers have been discovered in Zhucheng since the 1960s, winning it the name "Dragon City of China."
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