Stalicoolithidae is an oofamily of fossil eggs.[1]

Stalicoolithidae
Temporal range: Late Cretaceous
Egg fossil classification Edit this classification
Basic shell type: Dinosauroid-spherulitic
Oofamily: Stalicoolithidae
Wang, Wang, Zhao & Jiang, 2012
Oogenera

History edit

Stalicoolithid eggs were first discovered in 1971, but they were described initially as Dendroolithids,[2] or as Spheroolithids, in the case of "Paraspheroolithus" shizuiwanensis and Shixingoolithus.[1]

Description edit

Stalicoolithids are distinguished from other oofamilies by several characteristics. Most significantly, they have secondary eggshell units in the outer zone, and three distinct subzones of the columnar layer.[1][2] They have a unique mix of developmental characteristics, giving insight into the evolution of the amniotic eggshell.[1]

Parataxonomy edit

Stalicoolithidae contains at least three oogenera: Coralloidoolithus, Stalicoolithus, and Shixingoolithus. Shixingoolithus contains two oospecies: S. erbeni and S. qianshanensis.[1][3][4] Also, the enigmatic Parvoblongoolithus could potentially be a stalicoolithid.[2]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e Wang Q, Wang X L, Zhao Z K, and Jiang Y G. (2012). "A new oofamily of dinosaur egg from the Upper Cretaceous of Tiantai Basin, Zhejiang Province, and its mechanism of eggshell formation" Chinese Science Bulletin. 57: 3740-3747. doi: 10.1007/s11434-012-5353-2
  2. ^ a b c Zhang, S., X. Jin, J.K. O'Conner, M. Wang, and J. Xie. (2015). "A new egg with avian egg shape from the Upper Cretaceous of Zhejiang Province, China." Historical Biology 27(5):595-602.
  3. ^ Moreno-Azanza, M., J.I. Canudo, and J.M. Gasca. (2014). "Spheroolithid eggshells in the Lower Cretaceous of Europe. Implications for eggshell evolution in ornithischian dinosaurs." Cretaceous Research 51:75-87.
  4. ^ He, Qing; Chen, Zhong-Liang; Zhang, Shu-Kang; Gui, Ze-Wen; Chen, Ya-Ting (2022-08-25). "A new oospecies of Shixingoolithus (Shixingoolithus qianshanensis oosp. nov.) from the Qianshan Basin, Anhui Province, East China". Journal of Palaeogeography. 11 (4): 629–639. doi:10.1016/j.jop.2022.08.001. ISSN 2095-3836.