Parvoolithusis anoogenusofMongolianfossil eggsfrom theCampanianBarun Goyot Formation.They are known from a single small, smooth egg, which cannot be assigned to any known oofamily.[1]It is very similar to the eggs of modern birds in many aspects; in fact, acladistic analysisby Zelenitsky and Therrien found it to be a sister taxon to the guinea fowl (genusNumida), indicating that they represent the eggs of birds, rather than a non-avialantheropod.[2]

Parvoolithus
Temporal range:Campanian
~84–70Ma
Egg fossil classificationEdit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Oogenus: Parvoolithus
Mikhailov, 1996
Oospecies

P. tortuosus

References

edit
  1. ^Mikhailov, K.E. (1997). Fossil and recent eggshell in amniotic vertebrates: Fine structure, comparative morphology and classification.Special Papers in Palaeontology56. The Palaeontological Association. London. (page 58).
  2. ^Zelenitsky, D.K. and Therrien, F. (2008). Phylogenetic analysis of reproductive traits of maniraptoran theropods and its implications for egg parataxonomy.Palaeontology,51(4): 807–816

Bibliography

edit
  • K. E. Mikhailov. 1996. New genera of fossil eggs from the Upper Cretaceous of Mongolia. Paleontological Journal 30(2):246-248