蛋化石Egg fossils),亦可称化石蛋,是指由远古动物产下的化石化之后的残留物。作为动物的生理化过程的见证,蛋化石被认为是遗迹化石的一个类型。在极少数情况下,蛋化石内可能还保存有曾经在发育中胚胎的遗骸[1],在这种情况下,这件蛋化石其实也包含有实体化石在里面。

现存的蛋化石纪录,其年代从古生代开始,包含有多种不同的动物群体所下的蛋。这些动物有无脊椎动物脊椎动物所生的蛋:无脊椎动物的蛋例如有菊石类的蛋;而脊椎动物的蛋的种类较为多元化,有如鱼类的、可能属于两栖动物爬行动物的。当中爬行动物蛋化石包括有众人多在中生代阶层发现的恐龙蛋化石。

由于我们往往难以判断蛋化石是由什么类型的生物所诞下,除却包含有胚胎化石的蛋化石,其他蛋化石我们往往只能以靠其外型或其他可观察的外在特性而将其分类。因此,科学家借鉴了林奈对动物分类的分类系统,发展出一套为蛋化石分类的蛋化石分类

历史

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印度古吉拉特邦甘地纳加尔Indroda恐龙和化石公园展示的恐龙蛋化石。

人类在数千年前就已跟蛋化石接触。 在旧石器时代晚期到新石器时代早期,当时在今日蒙古地区的人透过把化石恐龙蛋壳造成首饰来装扮自己[2]。 在美洲,蛋化石的存在可能影响了纳瓦霍族有关人类盗取了一只原始水怪的蛋的创世传说。 不过,人类着实对蛋化石进行科学研究,要到很晚期才开始。当1820年代,第一份有关恐龙遗骸的科学研究在英国发表,当时他们认为恐龙是一种爬行动物,而且会生蛋[2]。而最早命名的蛋种则是Oolithes bathonicae英语Oolithes,由J. Buckman教授命名,当时他以为那些蛋是由真蜥鳄所产的[3],但今时今日,科学家认为我们不能从蛋化石推断那些蛋是由什么物种所产下的[4]。到了1859年,第一份有关恐龙蛋化石的科学报告才发表。发现者是法国南部的天主教教士兼业余自然学家Jean-Jacques Poech,他最初以为那些是由巨鸟所生的蛋[2]

第一宗为科学确认的恐龙蛋化石是于1923年由美国自然历史博物馆的团队意外发现,当时他们正在蒙古寻找早期人类的证据。这些蛋当时被错误认为是当地很常见的草食物种原角龙属Protoceratops)的蛋,但现时已知道其实是属于偷蛋龙属Oviraptor)的蛋。随此之后,世界各地陆续有发现,引发多个互相竞逐的分类系统。1975年,中国的古生物学家赵资奎[5]开始了一个革命性的蛋化石分类方法,by developing a system of "parataxonomy" based on the traditional Linnaean system to classify eggs based on their physical qualities rather than their hypothesized mothers. Zhao's new method of egg classification was hindered from adoption by Western scientists due to language barriers. However, in the early 1990s Russian paleontologist Konstantin Mikhailov brought attention to Zhao's work in the English language scientific literature[2].

分类

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蛋化石分类的方式参照了林奈系统对生物物种的分类,基于系统发生学分类方式,同样有科、属、种之分,称为“蛋科”(Oofamily/Oofamilies)、“蛋属”(Oogenera)及“蛋种”(Oospecies)[4][6]。其学名一般均含有字根oolithus,意思就是“石蛋”。蛋化石按其外形可分为六大类,即:Testudoid、Geckoid、Crocodiloid、Dinosauroid-spherulitic、Dinosauroid-prismatic以及Ornithoid。这些分类基本上与其产至何种动物无关,所以切勿以蛋化石的分类而假设其原生物种[2]

详细分类

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以下为蛋化石的现时分类,基本上除另外标明,均参考自Mikhailov et al. (1996)[4]

龟鳖蛋Testudoid

Geckoid

鳄蛋Crocodiloid

圆形恐龙蛋Dinosauroid-spherulitic

棱柱形恐龙蛋Dinosauroid-prismatic

鸟蛋Ornithoid

分类位置不明的蛋种

参考资料

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  1. ^ Norell, M. A., Clark, J. M., Dashzeveg, D., Barsbold, T., Chiappe, L. M., Davidson, A. R., McKenna, M. C. and Novacek, M. J. A theropod dinosaur embryo and the affinities of the Flaming Cliffs Dinosaur eggs. Science. November 1994, 266 (5186): 779–782 [2014-05-02]. PMID 17730398. doi:10.1126/science.266.5186.779. (原始内容存档于2010-07-23). 
  2. ^ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Carpenter, Kenneth. First Discoveries. Eggs, Nests, and Baby Dinosaurs: A Look at Dinosaur Reproduction (Life of the Past). Indiana, USA: Indiana University Press. 1999. ISBN 0-253-33497-7 (英语). 
  3. ^ Buckman, J. On some fossil reptilian eggs from the Great Oolite of Cirencester. Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society of London. 1860, (16): 107–110. 
  4. ^ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Konstantin E. Mikhailov, Emily S. Bray & Karl E. Hirsch. Parataxonomy of fossil egg remains (Veterovata): basic principles and applications. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 1996, 16 (4): 763–769. JSTOR 4523773. doi:10.1080/02724634.1996.10011364. 
  5. ^ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 张蜀康. 中國白堊紀蜂窩蛋化石的分類訂正 (PDF). 古脊椎动物学报. 2010年7月, 48 (3): 203–219 [2014-05-02]. (原始内容存档 (PDF)于2020-05-17) (中文(简体)). 
  6. ^ Olga Amo, Gloria Cuenca–Bescós & José Ignacio Canudo (1999). José Ignacio Canudo & Gloria Cuenca-Bescós, ed. "Vertebrate eggshell fragments from the Lower Cretaceous (Lower Barremian) of Camino Canales (Galve Bassin, Province of Teruel, NE Spain)" (PDF). IV European Workshop on Vertebrate Palaeontology. Albarracín, Spain: Universidad de Zaragoza.
  7. ^ 7.0 7.1 Jackson, F. D., Jin, X., Varricchio, D. J., Azuma, Y., & Jiang, Y. (2008). The first in situ turtle clutch from the Cretaceous Tiantai Basin, Zhejiang Province, China. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 28(2), 319-325.
  8. ^ E. S. Bray. 1998. Dinosaur eggshell Boletuoolithus carlylensis, oogenus nov. from the Lower Cretaceous Cedar Mountain Formation of Utah. In S. G. Lucas, J. I. Kirkland, and J. W. Estep (eds.), Lower and Middle Cretaceous Terrestrial Ecosystems, New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science Bulletin 14:221-228
  9. ^ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Wang, Q., Zhao, Z.-K., Wang, X.-L., and Jiang, Y.-G., 2011, New ootypes of dinosaur eggs from the Late Cretaceous in Tiantai basin, Zhejiang Province, China: Vertebrata PalAsiatica, v. 49, n. 4, p. 446-449
  10. ^ 10.0 10.1 M. Vianey-Liaud and N. Lopez-Martinez. 1997. Late Cretaceous dinosaur eggshells from the Tremp basin, southern Pyrenees, Lleida, Spain. Journal of Paleontology 71(6):1157-1171
  11. ^ 11.0 11.1 F. D. Jackson and D. J. Varricchio. 2010. Fossil eggs and eggshell from the lowermost Two Medicine Formation of western Montana, Sevenmile Hill locality. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 30(4):1142-1156
  12. ^ N. López-Martínez and E. Vicens. 2012. A new peculiar dinosaur egg, Sankofa pyrenaica oogen. nov. oosp. nov. from the Upper Cretaceous coastal deposits of the Aren Formation, South-Central Pyrenees, Lleida, Catalonia, Spin. Palaeontology 55(2):325-339
  13. ^ 13.0 13.1 E. S. Bray. 1999. Eggs and eggshell from the Upper Cretaceous North Horn Formation, central Utah. In D. D. Gillette (ed.), Vertebrate Paleontology in Utah, Utah Geological Survey Miscellaneous Publication 99-1:361-375
  14. ^ D. K. Zelenitsky and W. J. Sloboda. 2005. Eggshells. In P. J. Currie and E. B. Koppelhus (eds.), Dinosaur Provincial Park: A Spectacular Ancient Ecosystem Revealed. Indiana University Press, Bloomington 398-404
  15. ^ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 D. K. Zelenitsky, L. V. Hills, and P. J. Currie. 1996. Parataxonomic classification of ornithoid eggshell fragments from the Oldman Formation (Judith River Group; Upper Cretaceous), southern Alberta. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences 33:1655-1667
  16. ^ 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 Q. Wang, X.-L. Wang, Z.-K. Zhao and Y.-G. Jiang. 2010. A new oogenus of Elongatoolithidae from the Upper Cretaceous Chichengshan Formation of Tiantai Basin, Zhejiang Province页面存档备份,存于互联网档案馆). Vertebrata PalAsiatica 48(2):111-118
  17. ^ X. Jin, Y. Azuma, F. D. Jackson and D. J. Varricchio. 2007. Giant dinosaur eggs from the Tiantai basin, Zhejiang province, China. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences 44:81-88
  18. ^ 18.0 18.1 D. K. Zelenitsky and F. Therrien. 2008. Unique maniraptoran egg clutch from the Upper Cretaceous Two Medicine Formation of Montana reveals theropod nesting behaviour. Palaeontology 51(6):1253-1259
  19. ^ Zelenitsky, D. K. and Therrien, F. 2008. A unique maniraptoran egg clutch from the upper Cretaceous Two Medicine formation of Montana reveals theropod nesting behaviour. Palaeontology. 51(6):1253-1259. DOI: 10.1111/j.1475-4983.2008.00815.x

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外部链接

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