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Geologists and archaeologists in east China's Shandong Province have
excavated a fossilized pregnant hornless rhinoceros with a history of 18 million
years in Shandong's Linqu County.
Archaeologists dug out the fossil during a recent excavation at the
Shanwang Ruins of Ancien
t Extinct Life, 22 kilometers northeast of the Linqu
County in central Shandong. The Shanwang ruins are the sole well-preserved
geological ruins of the Miocene Epoch in east China.
The fossilized mother rhinoceros, 2.7 meters long and 1.7 meters high, was
well preserved and the fetus rhinoceros, only 0.7meters in length, was still
lying in its mother's belly, with its teeth and skeleton almost fully developed.
The fetus was believed to have died eight mouths before it was born, said
Li Fenglin, a professor with the China Geological University, who took part in
the recent excavation.
"It is rare to discover a fossilized rhinocerose with a fetus anywhere in
the world," he said.
Records show that hornless rhinoceroses were the ancestors of modern
rhinoceros, which fall into the category of mammals. The hornless rhinoceros is
characterized by short limbs, odd-numbered toes and thick amour-like hide. This
kind of rhinoceros gives birth to one cub each time and its pregnancy lasts 15
to 18 months.
The Shanwang ruins are located in a region with active volcanic activities
in the Cenozoic Era, about 20 million years ago. The ancient rhinoceros might
have been the victim of a volcanic eruption.
Li and his colleagues also found the fossils of ancient deer, spiders,
scorpions and diatoms, altogether about 700 kinds of animals and plants.
The fossil of the pregnant hornless rhinoceros is now housed by the museum
of Linqu County and will soon be shown to visitors.( )
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