Megaloolithidae

Megaloolithidae
Eggshell classification
Basic shell type: †Dinosauroid-spherulitic
Oofamily: †Megaloolithidae
Oogenera

Megaloolithidae is an oofamily of fossil egg of the Dinosauroid-spherulitic morphotype. They probably are the eggs of sauropods.[1]

Paleopathology

Main article: Egg paleopathology

Multilayered shell

Megaloolithid eggs with multiple layers of eggshell have been preserved in the fossil record.[2] Multilayered fossil eggs resemble those of modern forms in sometimes having incomplete extra layers and pore canals that don't properly align.[3] The misalignment of the pore canals can prevent oxygen from getting to the embryo and cause it to suffocate.[2] The term ovum in ovo has been used for multilayered dinosaur eggs although this is inaccurate use of the term.[4] The greater abundance may indicate that these eggs were more prone to such pathologies, but are most likely due to a larger sample size of them.[5] Megaloolithid eggs with a discretispherulitic morphotype account for the majority of dinosaur eggs preserved with this deformity.[3]


Footnotes

  1. ↑ Mikhailov et al. (1996).
  2. 1 2 "Thick Eggshell," Hirsch (2001); page 382.
  3. 1 2 "Thick Eggshell," Hirsch (2001); page 383.
  4. ↑ "Thick Eggshell," Hirsch (2001); page 384.
  5. ↑ "Discussion," Hirsch (2001); page 389.

References

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