The fossilized bones of a dinosaur that lived between 100 million and 132 million years ago have been found in northwest China's Gansu Province.

Paleontologists unearthed 28 fossils, including vertebrae, tail bones, ribs and leg bones of a 13-meter-long (43-foot) Iguanodon dinosaur, in the Mazong mountains in Gansu, according to Xinhua's report.

The dinosaur, found by scientists from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, was the largest of its kind discovered in the area.

Other kinds of dinosaurs such as Psittacosaurus, fossils of shellfish, plants and wings of rare dragonflies have previously been found in the region.

The Iguanodon, a herbivore, lived during the Early Crustaceous period. It had a turtle-like horny beak and was one of the first known dinosaurs to be able to chew.

(CRI November 19, 2004)