In a new publication, scientists have discovered a fossil of an oviraptorosaur that is a type of bird-like theropod dinosaur commonly found sitting on top of nests containing eggs. According to the reports by Phys.org, the species belongs to the Cretaceous Period, which is also the third and last period of the Mesozoic Age which expanded from 145 to 66 million years ago. The new sample, which is 70 million years old, was recovered from the highest Cretaceous age rocks in Ganzhou City in Jiangxi Province of China.
‘Save the rare ones’
In the fossil is an incomplete skeleton of an adult oviraptorid seated in an incubating position. It was found very close to a bird on a cliff of 24 eggs. Dr Shundong Bi explains that preserved dinosaurs on the nests are ‘rare’. He also pointed out that this is the first time a non-bird dinosaur has been found, sitting on an egg nest that holds embryos. Also, this was found in one remarkable sample.
(Geological map of the east of Syncline Tremp with the location of the site of Sant Romà d’Abella. Image credits: Nature.com)
(Landscape view of a fossil site. Image credits: Nature.com)
Dr. Albert Sellés, a paleontologist at the Institut Català de Paleontologia Miquel Crusafon at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, along with his team, said, “During the latest Cretaceous (77-66 million years ago) in the uptime end- Extremely extinct, Europe was a series of islands with diverse and distinct communities of dinosaurs and other backbones “. The paleontologists also said, “Many of these animals exhibited unique traits that may have been generated by the lack of space and resources of remote habitats”.
Out of the 24 eggs, at least 7 eggs retain bone or skeletal part of oviraptorid embryos without inner lining. Also, the late stage of development of the embryos suggests that the last one died when it was boiled in the nest. According to the reports by Phys.org, Dr. Lamanna explained that such a discovery is ‘so rare of the rarest’ in dinosaurs.
He also explained that a few oviraptorids have been found on the nests of their eggs before but embryos have never been found inside those eggs. The new sample shows that the babies were almost ready for birth. This indicates that this oviraptorid had been nesting for a long time. Also, this clarifies that this dinosaur was a caring parent who ended up giving his life while raising his young one. As part of the study, the team performed isotope oxygen analyzes. It was then determined that the eggs were hatched at high temperatures, similar to birds. Also, even though all embryos were well developed, some appeared to be more mature than others.