250 Fossilized Titanosaur Eggs Found in India Suggest Dinosaur Nested Like Modern Birds

Paleontologists found a rare discovery in India - a fossilized dinosaur hatchery of giant plant-eating titanosaurs.

Fossilized Titanosaurs Discovered

The researchers from the University of Delhi were surprised to find a dinosaur hatchery with 92 nests and 256 eggs belonging to titanosaurs. The eggs ranged between 15 to 17 centimeters (6 to 6.7 inches) in diameter and likely belonged to more than one titanosaur species. Each nest contains between 1 to 20 eggs, according to lead study author Guntupalli Prasad, a paleontologist in the department of geology at the University of Delhi, CNN reported.

According to Prasad, the researchers noted that many of the nests were close together, suggesting that titanosaurs were not attentive parents. When the nests are close together, the titanosaur parents would likely step on them due to their massive size. Also, the tight space would not allow them to visit each nest, incubate the eggs, or feed the hatchlings.

Titanosaurs Nested Like Modern Birds, Crocodiles

The researchers noticed similarities between the titanosaurs' nesting with birds and crocodiles. The proximity suggested that the dinosaurs laid eggs in colonies or rookeries, which many present birds do.

Prasad noted one particular egg known as an ovum-in-ovo, or egg-in-egg. The team examined it, and it showed bird-like reproductive behavior. According to the researchers, just like birds, some dinosaurs may have laid eggs sequentially.

Prasad said sequential laying is the release of eggs one by one with some time gap in between, which is observed in birds. However, some reptiles, like turtles and crocodiles, lay all their eggs at once as a clutch.

Prasad also noted how the nests were close to water. According to him, it was probably to prevent the eggs from drying.

Dr. Darla Zelenitsky, an associate professor of dinosaur paleobiology at the University of Calgary in Canada, who studies dinosaur eggs but is not involved in the research, added that it was also a way to ensure the offspring won't die before they hatched.

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Titanosaurs Don't Incubate Their Eggs

However, the researchers noticed that parent titanosaurs tend to lay their eggs and leave, unlike birds and crocodiles, which incubate their eggs. Prasad noticed this based on the characteristics of their nests.

The baby dinos are reportedly left to fend for themselves. However, he also added that they need more data to be sure about the said claim.

What Were Titanosaurs?

Titanosaurs were the last great group of sauropod dinosaurs - characterized by their four legs, long necks, long tail, small head, and herbivorous diet - before the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction 65 million years ago.

However, their appearance was slightly different because they had stockier bodies and limbs that produced a wider stance than the other sauropods.

Titanosaur fossils have been found on all continents except Antarctica. There were about 40 species of titanosaurs. They were among the largest terrestrial animals, some nearing the size of whales.