Dinosaurs are a group of reptiles that appeared during the Mesozoic Era. Most of them had agile limbs, long tails, and massive bodies. So what interesting records did the vast and mysterious world of dinosaurs hold? If you want to learn about the most remarkable achievements in the dinosaur world, be sure to read the following!
1. Embryo
The world's oldest dinosaur embryo
In 2003, a stone that was accidentally picked up at the Yunnan Lufeng Dinosaur Camp during the Hundred Battles Dragons activity unexpectedly caused such a stir. First, through a micro-computed tomography scan, it was found to be a very early dinosaur embryo. After two isotope dating tests, the figure of 195 million years was obtained, confirming it as the world's oldest dinosaur embryo.
2. Vertebrates
The world's oldest terrestrial vertebrate embryo
Dinosaurs are the most representative terrestrial vertebrates (living on land) of the Mesozoic Era. Dinosaur embryos are not only the oldest dinosaur embryos in the world, but also the oldest known terrestrial vertebrate embryos.
3. Bone bed
The world's oldest embryonic bone bed or incubator
Dinosaurs are just one type of terrestrial vertebrate. Until evidence of embryonic beds/broodsites in other non-dinosaur terrestrial vertebrates is found, it is inferred that dinosaurs were the world's oldest embryonic beds or broodsites.
4. Eggshell
The world's oldest dinosaur eggshell
Dr. Koen of the University of Bonn in Germany accidentally discovered an incubating dinosaur eggshell while studying samples; it is the oldest dinosaur eggshell ever found.
5. Exercise
Evidence of movement within the egg of the world's oldest incubating dinosaur embryo
By studying Lufengosaurus embryos at different stages, we found evidence of movement within the egg in the world's oldest incubating dinosaur embryo. This evidence demonstrates that during the embryonic bone development in the incubation stage, the pulling motion caused by muscle growth led to asymmetry in bone development (in the cross-section of the femur).
6. Residue
The world's oldest organic residue
Early Jurassic dinosaur embryology in China, with evidence of preserved organic residues, has yielded the oldest organic residues found in the nearly 200 million-year-old embryonic bones.
7. Embryology
The world's first dinosaur embryology
In 2005, Academician Rytz published his research on the embryo of the South African giant dinosaur. He led his team to find many loose embryonic bones, cut and ground the bones, and pioneered dinosaur embryology in the world.
