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Dinosaur Eggs
Dinosaur Egg Info: It is now a known fact that Dinosaurs laid eggs instead of bearing live young. Determining which dinosaur eggs go with a particular dinosaur has been more of a challenge. The difficulty stems from the fact that before the dinosaur has hatched from its egg, many of the adult characteristic have not developed. In order to determine the identity of hatchling dinosaurs, researchers have used comparative analysis and have been relatively successful with this strategy. For example, ornithopod embryos like those of hypsilophodont Orodromeus have calcified bones and well-developed joints when compared to embryos of hadrosaur Maiasaura which has uncalcified bones and joints made out of cartilage.
What can Dinosaur Eggs tell us?Many clues about dinosaur behavior can be revealed through close examination of these dinosaur eggs. The uncalcified bones and cartilaginous joints of the hadrosaur Maiasaura led researchers to believe that this particular dinosaur exhibited the long term parental care seen in birds and crocodiles of modern times. Otherwise, the young dinosaurs would have never survived with flimsy joints and bones still in the early phase of calcification
How old are Dinosaur Eggs?All dinosaur eggs can be dated back to the Mesozoic Period between 265 million years ago and 65 million years ago. Most dinosaur eggs are associated with the Cretaceous period between 146 million to 65 million years ago.
Oviraptor shelding nest with eggs. From the cover
Nature v.378, Dec 21-28
The inside of a dinosaur egg: for a more indepth
look visit this National Geographic story
MRI of dinosaur egg. From: Science, 1985
More Indepth Information on Dinosaur Eggs:
· The Apperance of Dinosaur Eggs
· Composition of Dinosaur Eggs
· Discovery of Dinosaur Eggs
· Where are Dinosaur Eggs Found?
· What Dinosaur Eggs reveal about Dinosaurs
More Information on Dinosaur Eggs:
Sources for Dinosaur Egg Articles
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