Wudingloong
Oldest East Asian sauropodomorph dinosaur from the Early Jurassic.
Wudingloong is a genus of massopodan sauropodomorph dinosaur from the Early Jurassic Yubacun Formation in China, known from a single species, *Wudingloong wui*. This species is based on a partial skeleton that includes the skull. It is the oldest sauropodomorph found in East Asia and the earliest-diverging member of the group from that region.
The fossils were discovered near Wande Town in Wuding County, Yunnan Province, sometime after September 2020, in outcrops of the Yubacun Formation. The holotype specimen, LFGT-YW002, was the first dinosaur skeleton prepared from this site. It consists of a damaged skull and lower jaw, a complete set of ten neck vertebrae, the first seven back vertebrae, some ribs, the right shoulder blade and coracoid, and the right forelimb including most of the hand.
In 2025, Wang and colleagues named and described *Wudingloong wui* as a new early-diverging sauropodomorph genus and species. The genus name combines "Wuding" (from the county where it was found) with the Chinese word "loong" (dragon). The species name honors paleontologist Xiao-Chun Wu for his work on Yunnan fossils.
Phylogenetic analysis by Wang et al. (2025) placed Wudingloong as an early-diverging member of the sauropodomorph clade Massopoda, in a group that also includes *Plateosauravus* and *Ruehleia* as close relatives.
Quick Facts
- Genus
- Wudingloong
- Species
- wui
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The Wudingloong holotype specimen, LFGT-YW002, was discovered near Wande Town in Wuding County, Yunnan Province, China, from outcrops of the Yubacun Formation. It was the first dinosaur skeleton prepared from that locality. The specimen includes a damaged skull and mandible, a complete series of ten cervical vertebrae, the first seven dorsal vertebrae, some dorsal ribs, the right scapulocoracoid, and the right forelimb including most of the manus. In 2025, Wang and colleagues described Wudingloong wui as a new genus and species of early-diverging sauropodomorphs based on these remains. The generic name combines a reference to Wuding County with the Chinese word 'loong' (dragon), and the specific name honors paleontologist Xiao-Chun Wu for his research on Yunnan fossils.
Reader's Guide
Wudingloong is significant as the oldest sauropodomorph known from East Asia and the earliest-diverging Asian member of the group. Its discovery in the Early Jurassic Yubacun Formation of China provides key evidence for the early diversification and geographic spread of sauropodomorph dinosaurs in Asia. The phylogenetic analysis by Wang et al. (2025) placed Wudingloong as an early-diverging member of Massopoda, in a clade with Plateosauravus and Ruehleia. This suggests that early massopodans had a broader distribution than previously recognized, linking Asian and other Gondwanan forms. The partial skeleton, including skull and forelimb elements, offers anatomical data for understanding the transition from basal sauropodomorphs to more derived forms. Its status as the oldest Asian sauropodomorph underscores the importance of the Yubacun Formation for future paleontological research.
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