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Name:
Raptor Egg (Oviraptor)
Age: Cretaceous
Formation: Nanxiong Formation
Location: Guangdong Province, China
Size: Egg is 6.7 inches long!
This egg is from the dinosaur, Oviraptor, or "egg robber". Most raptors laid their eggs in nests of a dozen or more eggs. Oviraptor mothers have been found fossilized guarding their nests, showing a “nurturing” nature in these dinosaurs. Usually, hatching and scavenging damaged the nests, obliterating any trace of the eggs that remained. Occasionally, some eggs survived predators and the elements, and eventually became fossils. Another point of interest relating to our raptor eggs is the overall comparison of eggshell thickness of these eggs. The raptor eggs found in deepest deposits (older) have very thick eggshell. As you examine eggs higher in the formation (younger), you see a gradual thinning of the eggshell over time. Gradual changes in vegetation (determined from pollen samples), changes in climate from a humid subtropic to an arid temperate region, and less oxygen in the air (determined from examining air trapped in amber) could have weakened the dinosaurs ability to produce healthy eggs, thus leading to their inevitable extinction. Environmental stresses in modern birds (the brown pelican, for example) have been shown to reduce the thickness of eggshells and the results on the species are similar. Because of their delicate nature, intact eggs are very rare in the fossil record. Dinosaur eggs that retain their original shape and eggshell are some of the most collectible fossils in the world.
This specimen was acquired legally many years ago. This distinct egg has great "egg shape" and is also inflated and quite substantial. Much of the thick, reticulated eggshell is still intact on both sides of the egg. The egg has nice natural color and very good detail on the eggshell. And the back side of the egg shows the exact spot where the baby hatched out of the egg, leaving an obvious gap in the eggshell! This is a very nice, large example of a REAL Oviraptor dinosaur egg that displays textbook hatching damage.
A Certificate of Authenticity from EXTINCTIONS is included with this specimen.
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