Hidden in Portuguese Cliffs, Scientists Just Found a Perfectly Preserved Crocodile Egg from the Jurassic
The Daily Galaxy • • science
Key Points:
- A discovery of 152-million-year-old crocodilian eggs in western Portugal extends the known fossil record of crocodile eggs by about 40 million years, making them the oldest identified to date.
- These eggs were found in a dinosaur nesting site near Lourinhã, indicating repeated crocodilian nesting activity alongside dinosaurs during the Late Jurassic period.
- The eggs’ shape and structure closely resemble those of modern crocodiles, suggesting remarkable evolutionary stability in crocodilian reproductive biology for over 150 million years.
- The coexistence of crocodilian and dinosaur eggs in the same nesting area raises questions about their shared environmental preferences or ecological interactions during that era.
- Researchers highlight the greater diversity of ancient crocodilian relatives compared to modern species, with variations in diet, morphology, and habitat.
