Palaeontology: pterosaur egg with a leathery shell

Nature. 2004 Dec 2;432(7017):572. doi: 10.1038/432572a.

Abstract

The recent discovery of a pterosaur egg with embryonic skeleton and soft tissues from the Yixian Formation confirmed that the flying pterosaurs were oviparous. Here we describe another pterosaur egg whose exquisite preservation indicates that the shell structure was soft and leathery.

Publication types

  • Historical Article

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bone and Bones / anatomy & histology
  • China
  • Dinosaurs / anatomy & histology*
  • Dinosaurs / embryology*
  • Egg Shell / anatomy & histology*
  • Egg Shell / chemistry*
  • Embryo, Nonmammalian / anatomy & histology*
  • Embryo, Nonmammalian / embryology*
  • Fossils*
  • History, Ancient
  • Wings, Animal / anatomy & histology