Preprismatoolithus

Preprismatoolithus Temporal range: Late Jurassic PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Egg fossil classification
Basic shell type:	†Dinosauroid-prismatic
Oofamily:	†Prismatoolithidae
Oogenus:	†Preprismatoolithus Zelenitsky & Hills, 1996

Preprismatoolithus is a Late Jurassic oogenus. The species P. coloradensis is described by John Foster as being "of the prismatic basic type,"^[1] with subspherical eggs about 10 cm (4 inches) in diameter.^[2] This oospecies has been initially attributed to "hypsilophodontid" dinosaurs, although a lack of associated embryo material currently makes confirming the egg-layer's identity impossible,^[1] but now is known to be theropod after the finding in Portugal,^[3] associated with the embryos.

Eggshell present in great abundance at the so-called "Young Egg Locality" which seems to have been a dinosaur nesting ground.^[1] Congeneric eggshell fossils are found at additional Colorado sites including the Fruita Paleontological Area, the Uravan Locality and Garden Park.^[1]

See also

• Dinosaurs of the Morrison Formation

Footnotes

1. "Another Generation: The Eggs," Foster (2007) page 239.
2. "Eggs," Foster (2007) page 125.
3. Ribeiro, V., Mateus O., Holwerda F., Araújo R., & Castanhinha R. (2013). Two new theropod egg sites from the Late Jurassic Lourinhã Formation, Portugal. Historical Biology. (ahead-of-print), 1-12.

References

• Foster, J. (2007). Jurassic West: The Dinosaurs of the Morrison Formation and Their World. Indiana University Press. 389pp. ISBN 978-0-253-34870-8.