Medioolithus Temporal range: Early Eocene PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N | |
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Egg fossil classification | |
Basic shell type: | Ornithoid |
Morphotype: | Ornithoid-ratite |
Oofamily: | †Medioolithidae |
Oogenus: | †Medioolithus Kohring & Hirsch, 1996 |
Oospecies | |
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Medioolithus is an oogenus of fossil egg laid by a paleognath.
Description
Medioolithus is known several eggshell fragments, and one complete, spherical egg. M. geiseltalensis is very similar to modern ratite eggs, for example those of ostriches, rheas, and cassowaries. At 9 cm (3.5 in) in diameter, however, it is smaller than the eggs of any of these birds, being more similar in size to the egg of a kiwi.
References
- ^ Kohring, R., & Hirsch, K. F. (1996). "Crocodilian and avian eggshells from the Middle Eocene of the Geiseltal, Eastern Germany." Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 16(1), 67-80.
Taxon identifiers | |
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Medioolithus |