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Lot 8358¤

Raptor Egg Nest

Withdrawn
Amended
3 December 2006, 11:00 PST
Los Angeles

US$4,000 - US$6,000

Raptor Egg Nest

Elongatoolithus sp., Oviraptorid
Late Cretaceous
China

A partial nest of an oviraptorid theropod dinosaur, genus Elongatoolithus, exhibits several interesting features of oviraptorid behavior. Each egg touches another egg, a typical egg laying technique by oviraptorids. Oviraptors laid eggs in pairs and because of this they are believed to have had paired ovaries, laying two eggs at a time and waiting a few days to lay another pair. Because so many eggs have been found in a single nest it is theorized that Oviraptors laid their eggs in a communal nest until the nest was complete. At least two oviraptorid specimens have been found sitting over a nest, supporting theories that they exhibited birdlike nesting behavior and birdlike features such as feathers. In the present example, one set of eggs is lying underneath the upper three, perhaps indicating that this nest was used more than once. The eggs are in good condition with some breakage. Measures 21 x 13 x 8 ½in

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