Fossil eggshell diversity of the Mussentuchit Member, Cedar Mountain Formation, Utah

PLoS ONE, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 20(2), P. e0314689 - e0314689

Published: Feb. 26, 2025

The first fossil eggshell from the Cenomanian-age Mussentuchit Member of Cedar Mountain Formation was described over fifty years ago. In half-century since, oodiversity this rock unit has been limited to a single, taxonomically unstable ootaxon, currently formulated as Macroelongatoolithus carlylei . Recently, there renewed effort recover and describe macrofauna Mussentuchit; however, these advances are body record. Here, we examine range eggshells present in assess preserved biodiversity they represent. Gross morphological microstructural inspection reveals greater diversity than previously described. We identify six ootaxa: three Elongatoolithidae oogenera ( , Undulatoolithus Continuoolithus ), eggs laid by oviraptorosaur dinosaurs; two oospecies Spheroolithus ornithopod Mycomorphoolithus kohringi crocodylomorph. requires co-occurrence at least putative oviraptorosaurs, oldest such phenomenon North America. occurrence crocodylomorph oogenus is recognized outside Europe, youngest yet documented. This new ooassemblage more representative known paleobiodiversity strata Western America complements record improving our understanding crucial—yet poorly documented—timeslice within broader evolution Cretaceous Interior Basin.

Language: Английский

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Thermal maturity and colors of Cretaceous East Asian fossil eggs

Sedimentary Geology, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown, P. 106855 - 106855

Published: March 1, 2025

Language: Английский

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The smallest known complete dinosaur fossil eggs from the Upper Cretaceous of South China

Historical Biology, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown, P. 1 - 10

Published: Oct. 14, 2024

The Upper Cretaceous Ganzhou Basin of Jiangxi Province, South China is among one the richest egg fossil sites in world and yields abundant exquisite clutches embryonic eggs, especially oviraptorosaurs. Hadrosaurian, troodontid, potential dromaeosaurid fossils were also reported, though they rare. All these reported eggs vary morphology but have relatively large sizes. Here, we report a partial clutch with six complete small from Tangbian Formation City, Southeast China. microstructure eggshell indicates that it can be assigned to Ovaloolithidae. Hence, established new ootaxon, Minioolithus ganzhouensis oogen. et oosp. nov. based on unique combination characters, including size, irregular arrangement, worm-like nodular ornamentation, gradual boundary between two structural layers. support smallest known non-avian theropod up date. This discovery increases diversity dinosaur Late significant for our understanding evolution theropods Cretaceous.

Language: Английский

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Protocol for electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) analysis of fossil eggshells

Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 43(6)

Published: Nov. 2, 2023

Language: Английский

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