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The surprising place where giant dinosaurs incubated their eggs
Phys.org • • science
Key Points:
- Researchers discovered over 250 fossilized dinosaur eggshell fragments in southernmost Patagonia, Argentina, indicating titanosaurs nested much farther south than previously believed.
- The eggshells, dated to the late Maastrichtian period, were found at latitudes around 55 to 60 degrees south, where average annual temperatures were estimated at 12°C to 14.5°C.
- Analysis of eggshell pore density suggests that titanosaurs likely buried their eggs in mound-like nests, using heat from decomposing vegetation to incubate their young rather than relying on sunlight.
- This finding challenges prior assumptions about titanosaur nesting locations and provides new insights into how these giant dinosaurs adapted to colder, high-latitude environments.
- Although no complete eggs or nests were found, the study offers the first evidence of high-latitude titanosaur nesting, published in Royal Society Open Science by a team led by Kohei Tanaka.
