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Researchers discovered a preserved dinosaur sitting in an egg nest with fossilized embryos

CHINA - Scientists celebrate the discovery of the preserved dinosaur groundwork while sitting in a nest of eggs with fossilized embryos, including at least three that were visible.

The Carnegie Museum of Natural History (CMNH) said in a press release in January that an Ophiraptorosaur fossil was discovered in 70-million-year-old rocks in Ganzhou, China.

Oviraptorosaurs were part of a diverse group of feathered, bird-shaped dinosaurs that lived during the Cretaceous period, according to CN.

Shundong Bi said: "Dinosaurs preserved in their nests are rare, as are fossil embryos. This is the first time that a non-avian dinosaur has been found sitting in a nest of embryo-preserving eggs, an astonishing specimen." CMNH researcher and professor at Indiana University in Pennsylvania, in the statement. Bi and Xing Xu, a professor at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, were the lead authors of a discovery paper on the Science Bulletin.

In the journal, the researchers said that you can see the fossil of what is believed to be an adult superpeptide humping more than 24 eggs or more, of which at least seven preserved partial embryonic bones.

CMNH said that some embryos in the eggs were also visible "forearms, pelvis, hind limbs and partial tail of adults."

"The late stage of development of the embryo and the proximity to the adult egg indicates that the latter died while incubating its nest, like its modern bird cousins, rather than laying its eggs or simply protecting its crocodile nest, comparative. Sometimes suggested for some other skeletons found on the nests ".

The discovery revealed multiple details about the species, including that the dinosaurs were caring for their young.

"Although few adult afiraptors were found in their egg nests, no embryos were found within those eggs," said Dr. Matt Lamana, CMNH chief dinosaur paleontologist and another researcher on the study.

"In the new specimen, the babies were almost ready to be born, which tells us unequivocally that this superseptorid has been nurturing its nest for a long time," Lamana said. "This dinosaur was a loving father who ultimately sacrificed his life while caring for his young."

The fossil also gave the researchers insight into the oviraptorosaur diet, as the pebbled fossil, most likely stomach stones or "stomach stones", was found in the stomach region.

Dinosaurs intentionally swallow stones to help them digest their food. This is the first time gastric stones have been found in averaphores, according to CMNH.

"It is extraordinary to think about how much biological information is captured in this single fossil," said Shaw. We will learn from this show for many years.