Paleontologists have discovered more than 20 dinosaur and other ancient vertebrate footprints on a rock face in Sichuan Province, southwest China. According to the researchers, the discovery provides new data on early dinosaur evolution, approximately 200 million years ago, reports People's Daily.

The tracks were discovered in the city of Dujiangyan by a nature enthusiast in November of this year. Their authenticity was later confirmed by a scientific team led by Xing Lida, an associate professor at the China University of Geosciences in Beijing. This marks the first time dinosaur tracks have been discovered in Dujiangyan.

According to Xing Lida, the discovered prints include those of various sizes of theropods—carnivorous dinosaurs—as well as human-hand-shaped tracks attributed to early archosaur reptiles.

"What makes this discovery particularly valuable is that the tracks were preserved across at least four layers of rock. This suggests that dinosaurs inhabited this area for a long time," the researcher explained.

In addition to the footprints, scientists discovered fragments of fossilized trees nearby, including fallen logs and upright stumps. These finds provided additional information about the local ecosystem more than 200 million years ago.

Jiang Shan, a researcher at the Zigong Dinosaur Museum in Sichuan Province, noted that the discovered footprints could contribute to a deeper understanding of the early evolutionary history of dinosaurs in China.