Rare stegodon fossils discovered in NW China

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Scientists discovered stegodon fossils in a karst cave on Tuesday while investigating sinkhole groups in Hanzhong City, northwest China's Shaanxi Province.

The rare fossils provide a new clue for the evolution of sinkhole groups, paleogeology, and the palaeoenvironment.

As part of a survey of karst groundwater, a team of investigators descended to the bottom of a sinkhole. They entered an underground river canyon to explore the groundwater's source.

During the investigation, the team discovered the stegodon fossils in a narrow tunnel.

The team later discovered a hollow fossil that is similar to an elephant incisor, as well as two large axle-tooth fossils and some fossil fragments.

Current research shows that the stegodon, an extinct elephant-like mammal, lived between six million and 10,000 years ago, but the sinkhole group in Hanzhong formed earlier than that.

Therefore, the discovery of the fossils provides further evidence for researching the evolutionary history of sinkhole groups in the area.