Filling the gaps of dinosaur eggshell phylogeny: Late Jurassic Theropod clutch with embryos from Portugal

摘要: The non-avian saurischians that have associated eggshells and embryos are represented only by the sauropodomorph Massospondylus Coelurosauria (derived theropods), thus missing basal theropod representatives. We report a dinosaur clutch containing several crushed eggs embryonic material ascribed to megalosaurid Torvosaurus. It represents first of megalosauroids, filling an important phylogenetic gap between two distantly related groups saurischians. These fossils represent unequivocal found date. assemblage was in early Tithonian fluvial overbank deposits Lourinha Formation West Portugal. morphological, microstructural chemical characterization results eggshell fragments indicate very mild diagenesis. Furthermore, these allow unambiguous association osteology with specific unique new morphology.