Fossil eggshell cuticle elucidates dinosaur nesting ecology

PeerJ
Tzu-Ruei YangP Martin Sander

Abstract

The cuticle layer consisting mainly of lipids and hydroxyapatite (HAp) atop the mineralized avian eggshell is a protective structure that prevents the egg from dehydration and microbial invasions. Previous ornithological studies have revealed that the cuticle layer is also involved in modulating the reflectance of eggshells in addition to pigments (protoporphyrin and biliverdin). Thus, the cuticle layer represents a crucial trait that delivers ecological signals. While present in most modern birds, direct evidence for cuticle preservation in stem birds and non-avian dinosaurs is yet missing. Here we present the first direct and chemical evidence for the preservation of the cuticle layer on dinosaur eggshells. We analyze several theropod eggshells from various localities, including oviraptorid Macroolithus yaotunensis eggshells from the Late Cretaceous deposits of Henan, Jiangxi, and Guangdong in China and alvarezsaurid Triprismatoolithus eggshell from the Two Medicine Formation of Montana, United States, with the scanning electron microscope (SEM), electron probe micro-analysis (EPMA), and Raman spectroscopy (RS). The elemental analysis with EPMA shows high concentration of phosphorus at the boundary between the eggshell and se...Continue Reading

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Citations

Jun 20, 2020·Nature·Mark A NorellDarla K Zelenitsky
Mar 22, 2019·Nature Communications·Alida M BailleulZhonghe Zhou
Jan 5, 2021·Journal of Morphology·Daniel G Blackburn, James R Stewart
Jan 8, 2022·BioEssays : News and Reviews in Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology·Jasmina Wiemann, Derek E G Briggs

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Methods Mentioned

BETA
scanning
transmission electron microscopy
X-ray
Scanning electron microscopy

Software Mentioned

R package “
ChemoSpec
R

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