A complete fossil skull of a Kubanochoerus Pig from the Miocene Epoch (25 to 10 million years ago) was shown at a recent exhibition in Lanzhou.

The fossil, believed to be one of the earliest discovered in the world, was found in Yongdeng County in Gansu Province in 1928. Only 10 fossil remains of Kubanochoerus pig skulls exist worldwide. Two are overseas, said Zhang Xing, a Gansu Provincial Museum staff member.

The skull was discovered on a mountain in Linxia Hui Autonomous Region, Gansu Province. The upper teeth in the skull are complete and well-preserved and its fangs protrude forward. Archaeologist surmise that the pig was a kind of omnivorous animal that inhabited earth some million years ago.

Linxia Prefecture is rich in Paleozoic animal fossils. The discovery of the Kubanochoerus Pig fossil skull is important for the study of animals, geography and climate in Linxia prefecture during the Miocene Epoch, said Zhang.