Jakarta –
For researcher found 256 fossils dinosaur eggs spread over 92 nests. They are found in the Lamenta Formation in the Narmada Valley, central India. The region is known for its much studied Late Cretaceous specimens, including preserved prehistoric eggs.
To get a complete egg as a fossil is certainly not easy. There are various things that are at risk for the destruction of eggs such as being trampled or eaten by predators. Therefore, intact eggs that become fossils are usually helped by their preservation with quick burials carried out after the parent eggs are laid.
These egg fossils have enormous potential to tell us about dinosaur upbringing, reproductive evolution and environmental conditions at that time. Launching IFL Science, the researchers in this particular study were also treated to a rare fossil egg.
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The researchers found 256 fossil dinosaur eggs scattered in 92 nests. They are found in the Lamenta Formation in the Narmada Valley, central India. The region is known for its much studied Late Cretaceous specimens, including preserved prehistoric eggs. Photo: Dhiman et al., 2023
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“The most surprising finding was a pathological egg called ‘ovum-in-ovo’ where eggs within eggs were observed,” said study author Dr Harsha Dhiman.
“Such eggs have never been reported from reptiles but only from birds. This discovery led us to hypothesize that the sauropod titanosaur dinosaurs may have laid their eggs in succession like birds,” he said.
 Some nests are made near lakes and ponds while others are deposited far from water. Those buried nearby were at greater risk of being buried in sediment and preserved, whereas clutches placed far from the rim were more often found hatched with shell fragments. Photo: Dhiman et al., 2023 Photo: Dhiman et al., 2023 |
From this discovery, scientists also read that this dinosaur’s upbringing was not good. This is because some nests are found not too far away and have the potential to destroy the eggs if trampled.
Lastly, it is known that the authors managed to identify six different egg species among 92 nests. This is somewhat surprising as it may attest to the existence of biodiversity in the region which has not been reflected by the skeletal remains excavated in the region.
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