Chinese and Japanese scientists have confirmed a dinosaur fossil unearthed in eastern China's Zhejiang Province in September was a new species of the animal.

The fossil, measuring five meters tall and 15 meter long, basically was a sauropod, or a large, long-necked herbivorous dinosaur, in the Cretaceous Period about 60 million years ago, said Jin Xingsheng, deputy curator of the Zhejiang Museum of Natural History.

A paleontologist scrutinizes a site where a dinosaur fossil was unearthed in Dongyang, eastern China's Zhejiang Province, September, 2007. Chinese and Japanese scientists have confirmed a dinosaur fossil unearthed in Zhejiang Province in September was a new species of the animal.

The fossils were unearthed at the foot of Hugong Mountain on the outskirts of Dongyang City.

After meticulous study and comparison of the fossils, the scientists concluded the dinosaur belonged to a new species.

"It demonstrates many unique features, different from any identified dinosaur species. It will enrich the dinosaur family," Jin said.

"But the scientific name for this species of dinosaur will be subject to examination and approval. It will probably be named after Dongyang."

Scientists are currently restoring the fossils in the Dongyang Museum and they plan to put them on show in late May or early June.

The first discovery of dinosaur fossils in Zhejiang dated back to 1977 when a 22-meter-long Jiangshanosaurus Lixianensis was unearthed.

In August last year, scientists announced the identification of a new dinosaur species -- "Zhejiangosaurus Lishuiensis" -- which was found in 2000 at a village near Lishui City in Zhejiang.

(Xinhua News Agency February 22, 2008)