We Finally Know How Long It Took for Dinosaur Eggs to Hatch

Something that no doubt has been a burning issue for many late at night while looking at the ceiling and wondering ( OK maybe not)....... however for those few who might want to know they have figured out for two species of dinosaurs how long it took for their eggs to hatch. I find the method used to make the determination as amazing as the discovery itself not to mention the size of the eggs studied... The article kinda explains why some egg layers (creatures) made it through the extinction event while others did not.. Interesting

First the scientists gathered embryo fossils from two dinosaurs: Protoceratops, whose tiny eggs weighted just 194 grams (7 ounces), and the enormous, duck-billed Hypacrosaurus, with 4 kilo (9 pound) eggs.

Then the team put the embryonic jaw of each through a CT scanner, to visualize the forming teeth, and extracted a number of individual teeth for study beneath a high-powered microscope.

Under microscopic view, Erickson and his team found growth lines on the teeth that helped the researchers establish a timeline for embryonic development.

For the two species studied the answer was 3 and six months for incubation.

With slow egg-hatching times coupled with more than a year of maturation outside the egg, the creatures would have been at a disadvantage compared to other animals that survived the great dinosaur extinction event.

See, told you it was interesting... maybe others will think so too ?
www.seeker.com...

Kinda leaves me with more questions than answers, 6 months seems like a long time for a mother dinosaur to incubate the eggs, unless the male did the hatching like penguins of course

Though there are modem lizards with a 3 month hatching time (Komodo dragon). 3 months sounds reasonable, 6 months seems like a long time,.
Interesting none the less

Did a few scientists get Hatchimals for Christmas? My daughter already broke this story.

a reply to: Raggedyman

I suppose it could seem odd that an egg of any kind was incubated for that long, but when you consider the size of the resulting animal itself, not to mention consider that many of these creatures lived much longer lives than most animals do today, you come to an understanding about that incubation period in context.

a reply to: TrueBrit

Yeah but
It is still a little bitty reptile when it hatches
Not arguing, just strange six months as an egg needing warmth and protection in a hostile environment
Imagine if they laid eggs twice a year?

a reply to: Raggedyman

What are the chances that a creature which has a six month incubation period to deal with, is going to lay eggs so often?

Fairly slim I would think. The chances are that they laid eggs only once in a fairly long while, but in great number, to ensure that at least some of the hatchlings would survive until they were mature enough to defend themselves, similar to the way turtles and other shell sporting, ancient species do. The attrition rate amongst the young would have been quite savage.

a reply to: TrueBrit

I would imagine that the animals that ate so much food considering their size would need to move or follow a heard. I am basing that on the seasons and what we see in modern day heards following the food sources and predators following them
Turtles bury their eggs and the hatchlings escape to sea. They don't need their parents around, maybe Dino's did something similar

Sorry, I have reasons to doubt a reptile would like to be tied down for 6 months, especialy a big one that would eat all the food sources in the area
Again, I am not arguing the assumption or evidence, just find it a little perplexing, it leaves me with more questions.

a reply to: Raggedyman

There are many examples of creatures which eat heavily and rely on stored energy for extended periods. I would imagine that something like that might explain why your concerns over the period of time that they would be immobile or location locked for, may be less of a problem than you think.

a reply to: 727Sky

Now i want an omelette.

a reply to: TrueBrit

It may well be, I am no dinosaur or heard animal specialist

originally posted by: Raggedyman
a reply to: TrueBrit

I would imagine that the animals that ate so much food considering their size would need to move or follow a heard. I am basing that on the seasons and what we see in modern day heards following the food sources and predators following them
Turtles bury their eggs and the hatchlings escape to sea. They don't need their parents around, maybe Dino's did something similar

Sorry, I have reasons to doubt a reptile would like to be tied down for 6 months, especialy a big one that would eat all the food sources in the area
Again, I am not arguing the assumption or evidence, just find it a little perplexing, it leaves me with more questions.

We have all seen the circular dig where the eggs are placed. I absolutely agree that being stuck for 3 or 6 months would seem impossible due to food sources. Even if one guarded the nest while the other fed as some bird species do today these time frames seem rather problematic. I guess we just have to figure the process worked for several millions years until it didn't anymore