reconstructed Citipati fossil from Mongolia with 20 eggs
the skeleton of the Dinosaur Citipati preserved on a nest of eggs.
The eggs are arrayed in a circle under the skeleton and are about 18cm long.
Credit: Nature (December 1995) http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/378774a0
Egg Cetera #2: The answer to the riddle of which came first
http://phys.org/news/2012-04-egg-cetera-riddle.html via @physorg_com
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| Citipati osmolskae with chicks |
Citipati (Hindi, meaning 'funeral pyre lord') is a genus of oviraptorid theropod dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous Period of what is now Mongolia (specifically, the Djadokhta Formation of Ukhaa Tolgod, in the Gobi Desert). It is one of the best-known oviraptorids, thanks to a number of well-preserved skeletons, including several specimens found in brooding positions atop nests of eggs. These nesting specimens have helped to solidify the link between non-avian dinosaurs and birds.
Citipati osmolskae
Clark, J.M., Norell, M.A., & Barsbold, R. 2001. Two new oviraptorids (Theropoda: Oviraptorosauria), upper Cretaceous Djadokhta Formation, Ukhaa Tolgod, Mongolia. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 21(2): 209-213.
