Hong Kong (CNN) The fossilized remains of a new species of winged dinosaur have been discovered in southern China by construction workers, who almost destroyed it with dynamite.

The fossilized corpse was unearthed at a construction site in the city of Ganzhou when workers blasted away surrounding rock with TNT.

Named Tongtianlong limosus, the dinosaur was a winged and feathered ancient ancestor to modern birds. The fossil is estimated to be from the Cretaceous period, making it between 66 and 72 million years old.

The discovery was originally reported by the journal Nature Scientific Reports on Thursday.

The report said that the dinosaur died trapped in mud with its beaked head titled upwards and wings extended, where it remained frozen in time until it was exposed by dynamite.

Read More