A large animal skull fossil was recently discovered in Zunyi County of southwest China's Guizhou Province, Guizhou Commercial News reports. Experts from Guizhou Academy of Sciences said it is about 200,000-300,000 years old and might be the most complete skull fossil of the omnivorous category.
The fossil was unearthed in a karst cave in Miao Nationality Township in Hongguan of Zunyi County. The fossil, measuring 23 cm wide, 30 cm long and 20 cm high, includes the skull, leg bone, scapula and vertebra. Three-centimeter-thick and cauliflower-like stone shapes have formed on the fossil.
The two eyeholes are a little forward. On the upper jaw, there still remains a long tooth. The paranasal sinus is complete. Due to the remote age and magma package, the category and species of the animal cannot be determined yet, said experts. However, it is of high value to the study of omnivorous animal distribution and geography and climate in Guizhou in ancient times.
(CIIC 04/06/2001)
