Palaeontology: pterosaur embryo from the Early Cretaceous

Nature. 2004 Jun 10;429(6992):621. doi: 10.1038/429621a.

Abstract

Dinosaur embryos have been discovered all over the world, but so far no pterosaur embryos have been reported. Here we describe a Chinese fossil from the Early Cretaceous period containing an embryo that is unambiguously a pterosaur. The embryonic skeleton, which is exquisitely preserved in its egg, is associated with eggshell fragments, wing membranes and skin imprints. This discovery confirms that pterosaurs were egg-layers and sheds new light on our understanding of pterosaur development.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • China
  • Dinosaurs / anatomy & histology*
  • Dinosaurs / embryology*
  • Embryo, Nonmammalian / anatomy & histology*
  • Fossils*
  • Ovum
  • Skeleton*
  • Skull / anatomy & histology
  • Time Factors