An extinct prehistoric scorpion species from the Cretaceous period was unexpectedly excavated in China, revealing previously unknown ancient mysteries.
Báo Khoa học và Đời sống•16/06/2025
During the exploration and excavation process in the yellow-gray-black mudstone area of the Yixian Formation in Heishangou Village, Chifeng City, Inner Mongolia, China, Dr. Qiang Xuan - a researcher at the Nanjing Institute of Geology and Paleontology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences , and his colleagues unexpectedly found a set of strange fossils. Photo: @China Lexicon. It is a fossil of a prehistoric scorpion that contains a lot of interesting information. On the other hand, although the Yixian Formation in Heishangou Village has previously contained many fossils that have been excavated, this is the first time that a fossil of a prehistoric scorpion has been found here. Photo: @NIGPAS.
Named Jeholia longchengi, this prehistoric scorpion lived around 125 million years ago, during the early Cretaceous period. Photo: @NIGPAS. Initial assessments suggest that Jeholia longchengi belongs to the genus Arthropoda, a genus of scorpions with relatively few fossil records. Photo: @NIGPAS. The total length of Jeholia longchengi was about 10 cm, larger than other Mesozoic scorpions, and significantly larger than many scorpions alive today. Photo: @NIGPAS.
Preserved in dark grey-yellow mudstone, the fossil of "Jeholia longchengi" is quite complete, missing only some parts of the front body. Photo: @NIGPAS. "During the early Cretaceous, Jeholia longchengi was likely to have primarily hunted a variety of insects, including herbivores, omnivores, scavengers, and even spiders, frogs, small salamanders, and lizards," said Dr. Qiang Xuan. Photo: @ Moneycontrol. What makes Jeholia longchengi special is that it is the first Early Cretaceous scorpion fossil found in China, enriching the scorpion fossil record in China and providing scientists with an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of Cretaceous biodiversity. Photo: @ Science Photo Library.
Prior to this new discovery, only three scorpion fossils had been discovered in all of China. Photo: @link.springer. Dear Readers, please watch the video : Discovering the cause of the mammoth's extinction. Video source: @Thanh Nien Newspaper.
Báo Khoa học và Đời sống•16/06/2025
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