A major China dinosaur footprint discovery has revealed the southernmost tracks ever found in the country, offering new insight into prehistoric life. This breakthrough gives scientists a clearer picture of ancient ecosystems in the Mesozoic era. The research team, led by paleontologist Xing Lida and Professor Mo Jinyou, documented the find in Earth History and Biodiversity.
The China dinosaur footprint discovery took place in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, near the Beibu Gulf coastline. This area now marks the farthest south that dinosaur tracks have been recorded in China. Workers first spotted the footprints during construction in Nanmushan Village, Dongxing City. On a four-square-meter rock slab, scientists identified seven theropod tracks that show bipedal carnivorous dinosaurs roamed this coastal area long ago.
Although blasting during the building process damaged some prints, researchers still confirmed two footprint types. Type A tracks were longer than they were wide and came from medium-sized theropods measuring three to four meters. With a strong third toe, V-shaped toe spread, and clear heel marks, these prints link this China dinosaur footprint discovery to predators also known from Chongqing in the Sichuan Basin.
Meanwhile, Type B tracks were less distinct but much larger. They likely came from apex predators over six meters long, possibly allosaurids or megalosaurids. This part of the China dinosaur footprint discovery proves that giant meat-eaters lived in Guangxi during the Middle-Late Jurassic. However, because there are so few tracks, scientists need further excavation and 3D modeling to learn more.
In addition, the study compared 14 fossil sites in Guangxi with those in the Sichuan Basin. The results revealed similar dinosaur species, pointing to strong geographic links in ancient times. Furthermore, fossils from Guangxi’s Xinlong Formation matched those from Thailand’s Khok Kruat Formation. This similarity supports the theory of a shared “southern” biogeographic province between southern China and Southeast Asia during the Early Cretaceous.
Most importantly, this China dinosaur footprint discovery is Guangxi’s first formally documented site of its kind. It fills a major gap in the region’s Jurassic fossil record. Moreover, it confirms that dinosaurs lived along China’s southern coastline and provides key data for linking Jurassic and Cretaceous rock layers across southern China and Southeast Asia.
