Culture | Fossils tell stories: Listen to Xingyi Geopark tell hundreds of millions of years of history

Fossils tell stories: Listen to Xingyi Geopark tell hundreds of millions of years of history

Into the museum of Xingyi National Geopark, hundreds of millions of years ago, different Guizhou dragon fossils, crinoids fossils, and the ecological environment of Marine reptiles after restoration, these rare "geological treasures" can be found here.



There are six exhibition halls in Xingyi area and Xingyi fauna, the reasons and evolution of Marine animals going to the sea, Marine reptiles moving from Xingyi to the ocean, the biodiversity of Xingyi fauna, the relationship between Xingyi fauna and other Triassic Marine reptile fauna in South China, and the landscape and cultural characteristics of Xingyi National Geopark. There are many kinds of fossils on display, complete and rich varieties, you can enjoy the fossils of Guizhou dragon fauna, they are different, the largest fossil weighs about 30 tons, the dragon pattern is clear, lifelike. Each fossil reproduces the living image and ecological environment of Guizhou dragon fauna 240 million years ago, which makes people have infinite reveries, as if passing through a time and space tunnel, leaving a deep memory for people.



As the treasure of the museum, the Guizhou Ichthyosaur fossil, with a length of 5.2 meters, is a new species produced in the process of inshore to pelagic migration. It appeared as early as the early Triassic Period and was the largest reptile at that time. At present, it is the largest vertebrate fossil in the museum. The most prominent part of this fossil is the stomach of ichthyosaur, which is rare in paleontological fossils that have stomach remains, and it is extremely rare to find well-preserved bones in the stomach.



Ichthyosaur fossils from Guizhou

According to the staff of the museum, the researchers examined the forelimb bones of the ichthyosaurus fossil stomach and compared them with the bones of all Marine reptiles in the Xingyi fauna, and finally determined that the most matching species was a four-meter-long short-necked and long-tailed Marine reptile - Xinpu Dragon.

The head and body of this Guizhou ichthyosaur fossil are clearly separated, a feature that tells us how it died. Before it died, its throat had ruptured for a variety of reasons, perhaps because it was caught in the throat by the huge new dragon when it swallowed it; Perhaps it was the twisting body of the Xinpu dragon that caused the ichthyosaur's body to break while fighting with it. The clear bones of the devoured Xinpaosaurus, apparently uncorrupted by stomach acid, suggest that the ichthyosaurs died shortly after eating.



Thank nature for preserving this stunning picture for us, leaving endless space for imagination. Imagine an epic battle between two giant Marine reptiles, sure to be a magnificent picture worthy of Jurassic World.