A massive egg initially discovered by researchers that belonged to a dinosaur has been re-examined and determined to belong to a five-foot-long giant turtle and has a fossilized embryo inside.
The nearly spherical “tennis ball size” egg, which measures 2.1 by 2.3 inches and was discovered in Henan Province, China, belonged to the Nanhsiungchelyidae group of turtles, and possibly the Yuchelys nanyangensis spices.
An egg believed to have come from a dinosaur has been re-examined and determined to belong to a turtle, with a fossilized embryo inside. The “tennis ball size” egg was discovered in Henan Province, China
Nanhsiungchelyidae (representation of the artist) thrived 90 million years ago, but died along with the dinosaurs
This now extinct turtle thrived during the Upper Cretaceous period, about 90 million years ago.
Despite this, Nanhsiungchelyidae died at the same time as the dinosaurs, Live Science reported.
Experts believe that the thick shell of the egg allowed water to pass through, so it was buried deep underground and did not dry out, which allowed the embryo to remain after all these years. .
“Spherical eggs can also reduce water loss and the thickened eggshell in some reptiles can be an adaptation to an arid climate,” researchers wrote in the study.
“It is also suggested that spherical eggs with thickened shells (approximately 0.7-1.0 mm) of Cretaceous turtles have adapted to arid environments.”
Experts believe that the thick shell of the egg allowed water to pass through, so it was buried underground, allowing the embryo to remain.
In contrast, modern turtle eggs, although varying by species, are usually a few inches long and a thin paper, according to the Gnaraloo Wilderness Foundation.
For comparative purposes, the eggs of leatherback sea turtles, the largest in the world, are 5.3 cm in diameter and can weigh, on average, up to 90 grams, according to Sea Turtle Conservancy.
One of the study’s co-authors, Darla Zelenitsky, told CBC that the egg was found near an ancient river, which may have helped preserve the egg when it overflowed.
“During the rainy season, it is possible that these river systems overflowed and buried the eggs that were on the floodplain, potentially preserving them as fossils,” Zelenitsky told the Canadian newspaper.
The Henan region is also known for its numerous fossilized dinosaur eggs.
The researchers also used the egg to estimate the size of the hood, the top of the turtle’s shell, with an equation that uses its mass.
They found that the turtle was probably 5.3 feet long, taller than some humans.
Zelenitsky told LiveScience that part of the egg is broken, so “maybe he tried to hatch” and failed.
The researchers wrote in the study that two other sets of eggs dating back to the Cretaceous and probably belonging to this family of turtles were previously discovered in Henan Province.
“The egg … is comparable to some fossil eggs attributed to Cretaceous turtles in China,” the researchers wrote.
The Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology he tweeted that fossils of turtles of the same family have been discovered in Alberta, Canada, but so far no eggs have been discovered.
The Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology has tweeted about the spread of turtle fossils from the same family in Alberta, Canada, but so far no eggs have been discovered.
The study was published earlier this week in the scientific journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B.