Paleontica Community

This legally imported genuine fossil dinosaur egg specimen is thought to be from a Hadrosaurid dinosaur, and possibly the Saurolophus species. It is from the Late Cretaceous period, roughly 84 to 71 million years ago, and was collected in the Xixia Basin, Henan Province, China. This specimen is most likely of the Dendroolithidae parataxonomic family and possibly of the Dendroolithus species. The confusing naming convention stems from the fact that dinosaur eggs are classified by their own genus and species name based solely on shell structure and type, and is completely independent of the dinosaur species suspected of having laid it. This allows for categorizing and study of the many types of eggs without having to make tenuous links to a certain type of dinosaur -- which in most cases is impossible to do because of the rarity of fossilized bones within the shells. However, this egg type is widely assumed to be from a Hadrosaurid based on comparisons with similar shell fragments, fossilized embryos, and hatchlings found collectively at other dinosaur nesting sites throughout the globe. This specimen has not been examined to see if there are bones inside, but that is unlikely since none have ever been found in Hadrosaurid eggs from this region. And even if it contained embryonic bones, it would take an expert many months to dissolve away (with a weak acidic solution) the rocky interior to reveal the delicate bones, and at considerable cost. So just enjoy it from the outside and let the tantalizing thought of possible bones inside keep your imagination afire. Like all Chinese dinosaur eggs, specimen preparation includes shell stabilization with a binding agent to prevent flaking off from the underlying rock and/or matrix patching or enhancement to ensure a beautiful and stable display.

koen schreef:
Mijn mooiste gekochte exemplaar? Dat vertel ik liever niet zomaar