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Dinosaur Egg Fossil Information

Huge skeletal displays of dinosaur remains awe many people, but paleontologists often look to much smaller things in order to learn more about dinosaurs. Fossilized dinosaur eggs allow scientists to know more about dinosaur development and how these large creatures began their lives. Ever since the first discovery of egg shells, fossilized dinosaur eggs have helped to tell the story of dinosaur reproduction. Certain areas of the world hold more fossilized dinosaur eggs than others, so even though a fossil looks egg-like, it may not necessarily be an egg.

Discovery Milestones
- In 1869, the first recorded discovery of dinosaur egg shells was made in France. This proved to be the push other paleontologists needed to search for more eggs. The world first learned about dinosaur egg fossils thanks to an article in National Geographic in 1933. This article detailed a 1922 expedition that was led by Roy Chapman Andrews. Andrews and his crew ventured into the Gobi Desert to find several fossilized eggs. Modern scientists focus on egg deposits within China; since 1991, China has been at the forefront for finding fossilized eggs.
Nests and Egg-Laying
- By finding these fossilized eggs in China and other areas of the world, scientists can study them to learn how dinosaurs handled making nests and laying eggs. In some cases, whole nests have been preserved, rather than just a few scattered eggs. According to the Texas Tech University Museum, paleontologists have deduced that dinosaurs laid their eggs, known as clutches, in scooped-out holes in the ground that they covered with vegetation for warmth. They laid up to 22 eggs at a time in certain formations, including spirals, rows, arcs or non-patterned clusters.
Structure
- Dinosaur eggs featured a similar structure to modern bird eggs, giving scientists the idea that the two are related. Dinosaur eggs featured an outer shell, albumen (egg white), yolk, amniotic sac, allantois (to hold waste) and an embryo. The shells that were found were hard-shelled and porous; the porous nature of the shells helps scientists identify eggs (as opposed to egg-shaped rocks) when viewed carefully. While bird eggs have three layers in the shell, dinosaur eggs have two. The eggs can come in either elongated or spherical shapes.
Egg Deposits
- While dinosaur fossils can be found in many locations, the fragility of the eggs means that they may not be preserved as well around the world. Certain areas have kept fossilized eggs better than other places. National Geographic reports that fossilized dinosaur eggs can be most commonly found in Asia, with 109 different nest or egg locations. Europe and North America have nearly the same amount of sites, with 39 and 37, respectively. In North America, most of these sites can be found in the Great Plains. South America has 12 locations for eggs, while Africa has only two.

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