# Ageroolithus

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Dinosaur egg

Ageroolithus Temporal range: Cretaceous PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N Egg fossil classification Basic shell type: Ornithoid Morphotype: Ornithoid-ratite Oofamily: incertae sedis Oogenus: †Ageroolithus Vianey-Liaud and López-Martínez, 1997 Oospecies A. fontllongensis Vianey-Liaud and Lopez-Martinez, 1997

***Ageroolithus*** is an [oogenus](/source/Oogenus) of [dinosaur egg](/source/Dinosaur_egg). It may have been laid by a [theropod](/source/Theropod).[1]

## Distribution

*Ageroolithus* fossils are found in the early [Maastrichtian](/source/Maastrichtian) [Tremp Basin](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tremp_Basin&action=edit&redlink=1) of [Lleida](/source/Lleida), [Spain](/source/Spain), from the [Upper Cretaceous](/source/Upper_Cretaceous) of [France](/source/France), and from the [Lower Cretaceous](/source/Lower_Cretaceous) of [Galve, Spain](/source/Galve%2C_Spain).[1]

## History

*Ageroolithus* was first discovered and described in [1997](/source/1997_in_paleontology) by the French [paleontologist](/source/Paleontologist) [Monique Vianey-Liaud](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Monique_Vianey-Liaud&action=edit&redlink=1) and the Spanish paleontologist [Nieves López Martínez](/source/Nieves_L%C3%B3pez_Mart%C3%ADnez) while excavating the Tremp Basin in Spain.[1] Further specimens were discovered in Galve in [1998](/source/1998_in_paleontology) and in France in [2000](/source/2000_in_paleontology).[2] In [2012](/source/2012_in_paleontology), Albert Sellés described *Ageroolithus*-like eggshells from the Tremp Basin in his PhD thesis at the [Universitat de Barcelona](/source/Universitat_de_Barcelona).[2]

## Description

*Ageroolithus fontllongensis* was first described on the basis of nine eggshell fragments.[1] Some more recently described eggshell fragments have been referred to *A.* [aff.](/source/Aff.) *fontllongensis*[3] and [cf.](/source/Cf.) *Ageroolithus*.[2] The eggshell has a smooth surface, and at 25–36 mm thick is thinner than most other eggs of the ratite morphotype.[1][2] Erosion and [recrystallization](/source/Recrystallization_(geology)) heavily affect most *Ageroolithus* specimens, but a few fragments are well enough preserved to observe the microstructure. It has two structural layers with a sharp dividing line between them.[1] The inner layer, known as the mammillary layer, is composed of wedges and shows distinct growth lines, whereas the outer layer (the prismatic layer[4]) is not clearly divided into units.[1] It has narrow, straight pore canals measuring 15 to 25 μm in diameter.[2][1]

The specimens referred to cf. *Ageroolithus* by Sellés in 2012 are very similar to *Ageroolithus* in thickness, ornamentation, and the ratio between prismatic and mammillary layers. They differ from *Ageroolithus* because their shell is composed of three structural layers instead of two.[2]

## Parataxonomy

*Ageroolithus* has not been placed in any known [oofamily](/source/Oofamily), but it is classified in the ratite morphotype,[2] alongside [Elongatoolithidae](/source/Elongatoolithidae), [Laevisoolithidae](/source/Laevisoolithidae), [Medioolithidae](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Medioolithidae&action=edit&redlink=1), and [Ornitholithidae](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ornitholithidae&action=edit&redlink=1).[5] It contains a [single oospecies](/source/Monotypy): *A. fontllongensis*.[2]

## See also

- [Dinosaurs portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Dinosaurs)
- [Paleontology portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Paleontology)

- [List of dinosaur oogenera](/source/List_of_dinosaur_oogenera)

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-VLLM_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-VLLM_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-VLLM_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-VLLM_1-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-VLLM_1-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-VLLM_1-5) [***g***](#cite_ref-VLLM_1-6) [***h***](#cite_ref-VLLM_1-7) Vianey-Liaud, Monique; Lopez-Martinez, Nieves (1997). ["Late Cretaceous Dinosaur Eggshells from the Tremp Basin, Southern Pyrenees, Lleida, Spain"](https://eprints.ucm.es/id/eprint/69803/1/3Vianey%26LopezM97-1.pdf) (PDF). *Journal of Paleontology*. **71** (6): 1157–1171. [Bibcode](/source/Bibcode_(identifier)):[1997JPal...71.1157V](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1997JPal...71.1157V). [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1017/s002233600003609x](https://doi.org/10.1017%2Fs002233600003609x). [S2CID](/source/S2CID_(identifier)) [131405598](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:131405598).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-PhD_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-PhD_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-PhD_2-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-PhD_2-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-PhD_2-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-PhD_2-5) [***g***](#cite_ref-PhD_2-6) [***h***](#cite_ref-PhD_2-7) Selles, Albert G. (2012). *Oological Record of Dinosaurs in South-Central Pyrenees (SW Europe): Parataxonomy, diversity and biostratigraphical implications* (Ph.D.). Universitat de Barcelona.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-OCABBCBI_3-0)** Ruiz-Omeñaca, J. I., Canudo, J. I., Aurell, M., Bádenas, B., Barco, J. L., Cuenca-Bescós, G., & Ipas, J. (2004). Estado de las investigaciones sobre los vertebrados del Jurásico Superior y Cretácico Inferior de Galve (Teruel). Estudios Geológicos, 60(3-6), 179-202.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Paleofile_4-0)** Laura E. Wilson, Karen Chin, Frankie D. Jackson, and Emily S. Bray. (2012). "[Fossil eggshell: Fragments from the past](http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/science/eggshell/index.php)" [UCMP](/source/UCMP)'s online fossil egg exhibit.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Mikhailov_5-0)** Konstantin E. Mikhailov, Emily S. Bray & Karl E. Hirsch (1996). "Parataxonomy of fossil egg remains (Veterovata): basic principles and applications". *[Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology](/source/Journal_of_Vertebrate_Paleontology)*. **16** (4): 763–769. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1080/02724634.1996.10011364](https://doi.org/10.1080%2F02724634.1996.10011364). [JSTOR](/source/JSTOR_(identifier)) [4523773](https://www.jstor.org/stable/4523773).

v t e Palaeognath genera Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Avemetatarsalia see Avemetatarsalia Theropoda see Theropoda Maniraptora see Maniraptora Palaeognathae see below↓ Palaeognathae Palaeognathae †Asteriornis? †Eremopezus? †Limenavis? †Lithornithidae Calciavis Fissuravis Lithornis Paracathartes Pseudocrypturus Struthioniformes †Remiornis? †Geranoididae? Eogeranoides Galligeranoides? Geranodornis Palaeophasianus Paragrus †Palaeotididae? Palaeotis Galligeranoides? †Eogruidae? Eogrus Sonogrus †Ergilornithidae? Amphipelargus Ergilornis Sinoergilornis Urmiornis Struthionidae †Orientornis †Pachystruthio? Struthio Notopalaeognathae see below↓ Notopalaeognathae Rheiformes †Opisthodactylidae Diogenornis? Opisthodactylus Rheidae †Heterorhea †Hinasuri †Protorhea Rhea Dinocrypturi †Dinornithiformes Dinornis Megalapteryx Emeidae Anomalopteryx Emeus Euryapteryx Pachyornis Tinamidae †Miniothura †Querandiornis †Roveretornis Tinaminae Crypturellus Nothocercus Tinamus Nothurinae Eudromia Nothoprocta Nothura Rhynchotus Taoniscus Tinamotis Novaeratitae Apterygidae Apteryx †Proapteryx †Aepyornithidae Aepyornis Mullerornis Casuariiformes †Diogenornis? Casuariidae Casuarius Dromaius †Emuarius Ootaxa Diamantornis Incognitoolithus Medioolithus Namornis Psammornis Tsondabornis Category

Taxon identifiers Ageroolithus Wikidata: Q4692137 IRMNG: 1187796 Paleobiology Database: 72345

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Ageroolithus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ageroolithus) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ageroolithus?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.