In Southwestern China, paleontologists have recently discovered a dinosaur fossil that shocked many: the fossil, dubbed “Tongnanlong zhimingi,” or Tongnan district dragon, astounds because of its proportions. It is one of the largest land animals ever recorded, estimated to be around 92 feet in height.

According to Melissa Ait Lounis, Biotechnology expert, the discovery is so significant that it “redefines the boundaries of prehistoric gigantism.” This means that what people generally know about this era and the animals in it is changing because of this discovery.

The fossils of this creature were discovered in a construction zone and the layer of soil that it was found in was dated at being 147 million years old. The location of the fossil being in East Asia also brings up some intriguing conversations. This is because for a long time people thought that Jurassic-era animals in East Asia were cut off and evolved separately from other species around the world.

This idea is called the East Asian Isolation hypothesis, but it seems to be that the recently discovered fossils have a near relative with an African species named Wamweracaudia keranjei.

All in all, the discovery of these fossils has opened new discussions and added to further discovery.