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Abnormal, multilayered titanosaur (Dinosauria: Sauropoda) eggs from in situ clutches at the Auca Mahuevo locality, Neuquen Province, Argentina

Authors: Frankie D. Jackson; Alberto Garrido; James G. Schmitt; Luis M. Chiappe; Lowell Dingus; David B. Loope;

Abnormal, multilayered titanosaur (Dinosauria: Sauropoda) eggs from in situ clutches at the Auca Mahuevo locality, Neuquen Province, Argentina

Abstract

Abnormal, multilayered eggshells are frequently reported in fossil specimens. However, previous reports of this pathological condition pertain to taxonomically unidentified fossil eggs or eggshell fragments rather than in situ clutches. A survey of 393 in situ clutches, referable to titanosaur sauropod dinosaurs, from Upper Cretaceous rocks in northwestern Patagonia, Argentina, revealed that six of these clutches contain both normal eggs and abnormal, multi- layered eggs within the same clutch. Excavation of one clutch exposed 30 eggs, distributed in three levels, including 27 normal eggs and 3 multilayered eggs. The three abnormal eggs occupied the highest level within the clutch and represent the last eggs laid by the female sauropod. The innermost eggshell layer in multilayered eggs from all six clutches exhibits typical megaloolithid calcite structure. The structure of the overlying, abnormal shell layer(s), however, varies among the clutches and within a single egg. Three types of abnormal eggshell morphology are documented. All previous studies that link abnormal eggshells to dinosaur physiology and the terminal Cretaceous extinction event are incomplete in terms of taphonomy, taxonomic identification, and lack rigorous statistical methods.

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selected citations
These citations are derived from selected sources.
This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
BIP!Citations provided by BIP!
popularity
This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network.
BIP!Popularity provided by BIP!
influence
This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
BIP!Influence provided by BIP!
impulse
This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network.
BIP!Impulse provided by BIP!
28
Top 10%
Top 10%
Average
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