The near-complete and articulated skeleton of a new iguanodontian dinosaur, Haolong dongi

[Uwe Jelting]

Cellular-level preservation of cutaneous spikes in an Early Cretaceous iguanodontian dinosaur /  Nature Ecology & Evolution (2026)

Jiandong Huang, Wenhao Wu, Lei Mao, Filippo Bertozzo, Danielle Dhouailly, Ninon Robin, Michael Pittman, Thomas G. Kaye, Fabio Manucci, Xuezhi He, Xuri Wang,  Pascal Godefroit, 2026

doi:  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-025-02960-9

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41559-025-02960-9

The near-complete and articulated skeleton of a new iguanodontian dinosaur, Haolong dongi gen. et sp. nov., from the Lower Cretaceous of northeastern China, preserves exquisitely fossilized skin. The integument includes large overlapping scutate scales along the tail and tuberculate scales around the neck and thorax markedly different from the scale pattern described in other iguanodontians. Remarkably, these scales are interspersed with cutaneous spikes preserved at the cellular level. Tomographic and histological analyses reveal a hollow, cylindrical structure composed of a cornified stratum corneum overlying a pluristratified epidermis with keratinocytes preserved to the level of nuclei, surrounding a porous central dermal pulp. These spikes differ structurally from known protofeathers in non-avian dinosaurs and scaly spines in extant squamates, suggesting a distinct evolutionary origin. Their morphology and distribution imply a primary role in predator deterrence, with potential secondary functions in thermoregulation or mechanoreception. This discovery provides unprecedented insight into the microanatomy of non-avian dinosaur skin and highlights the complexity of skin evolution in ornithischian dinosaurs.

[Ilya Sadykov]

This is a truly unique discovery for the beginning of the year! It makes me wonder about other iguanodontians — could the famous Iguanodon have possessed a similar specialized defense?

пятница, 6 февраля 2026 г. в 20:13:27 UTC+5, Uwe Jelting:

[Ben Creisler]

Ben Creisler

bcre...@gmail.com

Some additional information:

Haolong dongi gen. et sp. nov.

Jiandong Huang, Wenhao Wu, Lei Mao, Filippo Bertozzo, Danielle Dhouailly, Ninon Robin, Michael Pittman, Thomas G. Kaye, Fabio Manucci, Xuezhi He, Xuri Wang & Pascal Godefroit (2026)

Cellular-level preservation of cutaneous spikes in an Early Cretaceous iguanodontian dinosaur

Nature Ecology & Evolution (advance online publication)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-025-02960-9
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41559-025-02960-9

Note that the Supplementary Information is a free pdf with a full description.

****
News:

“Spiny dragon” reveals hidden secrets of dinosaur skin after 125 million years

https://www.naturalsciences.be/en/science/news/spiny-dragon-reveals-hidden-secrets-of-dinosaur-skin-after-125-million-years

====

In French:

Haolong dongi, premier dinosaure à piquants connu à ce jour (in French)

Haolong dongi, first dinosaur with spikes known up to now

https://actu.univ-rennes.fr/actualites/haolong-dongi-premier-dinosaure-piquants-connu-ce-jour

****
Haolong dongi : premier dinosaure à piquants découvert à ce jour
Université de Rennes (video in French)
5 min.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tkQzRtS0Dk&t=5s

====
In Spanish:

Un dinosaurio herbívoro con una estructura defensiva única (in Spanish)
A herbivorous dinosaur with a unique defensive structure

https://www.agenciasinc.es/Noticias/Descubren-un-dinosaurio-herbivoro-con-una-estructura-defensiva-unica

=====

On Fri, Feb 6, 2026 at 7:08 AM Uwe Jelting <jelti...@gmail.com> wrote:

Cellular-level preservation of cutaneous spikes in an Early Cretaceous iguanodontian dinosaur /  Nat Ecol Evol (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-025-02960-9

doi:  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-025-02960-9

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41559-025-02960-9

The near-complete and articulated skeleton of a new iguanodontian dinosaur, Haolong dongi gen. et sp. nov., from the Lower Cretaceous of northeastern China, preserves exquisitely fossilized skin. The integument includes large overlapping scutate scales along the tail and tuberculate scales around the neck and thorax markedly different from the scale pattern described in other iguanodontians. Remarkably, these scales are interspersed with cutaneous spikes preserved at the cellular level. Tomographic and histological analyses reveal a hollow, cylindrical structure composed of a cornified stratum corneum overlying a pluristratified epidermis with keratinocytes preserved to the level of nuclei, surrounding a porous central dermal pulp. These spikes differ structurally from known protofeathers in non-avian dinosaurs and scaly spines in extant squamates, suggesting a distinct evolutionary origin. Their morphology and distribution imply a primary role in predator deterrence, with potential secondary functions in thermoregulation or mechanoreception. This discovery provides unprecedented insight into the microanatomy of non-avian dinosaur skin and highlights the complexity of skin evolution in ornithischian dinosaurs.

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[Leo Sham]

Looks very interesting! May I humbly ask for a pdf? Thanks!