| Ashorocetus/sandbox/Paradendroolithus Temporal range:
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|---|---|
Egg fossil classification 
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| Basic shell type: | †Dinosauroid-spherulitic |
| Oofamily: | †Dendroolithidae |
| Oogenus: | †Paradendroolithus |
| Type oospecies | |
| Paradendroolithus qinglongshanensis | |
| Oospecies | |
| |
Paradendroolithus is an oogenus of dendroolithid dinosaur egg native to China.[1]
Description
editParadendroolithus eggs are large, measuring 15 cm (5.9 in) in length by 13.5–14.5 cm (5.3–5.7 in) in width. They have a distinctive shape, with one end pointed, similar modern bird eggs. The eggshell is relatively thick (2.30–2.38 mm (0.091–0.094 in)), and, like typical dendroolithids, is made up of tree-like, branching units. About 1/7 of the eggshell thickness is the mammillary layer.[1]
Paleobiology
editThe shape of the nest in Paradendroolithus is unknown, and no skeletal remains or embryos have been associated with the eggs.[1]
Distribution and Paleoecology
editP. qinglongshanensis eggs are found on the North slope of Qinglong Mountain (where the oospecies gets its name), a part of the Gaogou Formation. The same location also has fossil eggs belonging to Dictyoolithus, Dendroolithus, Faveoloolithus, Paraspheroolithus, and Prismatoolithus, apparently a similar assemblage to the Mongolian Djadokhta Formation.[1]
References
edit- ^ a b c d Zhou, Xiugao; Ren, Youfu; Xu, Shiqiu; Guan, Kangnian (1998). "Dinosaur eggs of the Late Cretaceous from Qinglongshan region, Yunxian County, Hubei Province". Hubei Geology & Mineral Resources. 12 (3): 1–8.
