Lot 1130
Museum Quality Oviraptor Egg. This original unhatched Oviraptor egg is 70-80 million years old from the Djadokhta formation of Ukhaa Tolgod of Mongolia. This egg was found in the Gobi desert and is just over 6.5 inches long and belongs to the largest of the two Oviraptor species called Citipati to distinguish this difference from the other smaller species. Citipati Oviraptorids were made famous by the nest of eggs with the mother Citipati sitting on top of the eggs in a brooding position. This famous specimen is displayed in the New York Museum of Natural History and was discovered in 1995. It was revolutionary to discover a dinosaur sitting on top of its eggs like a bird and only later was it discovered that Oviraptors such as Citipati also had feathers like a bird. Citipati eggs are ratite in texture and have a very thin shell which is why they are rarely found complete. This premium quality egg is slightly compressed from being buried under layers of rock and has sharp textured detail on the shell with over 95% original shell and has been fully airbrushed resulting in a highly detailed dark brown shell. Because of their thin shell most Oviraptor eggs have less than 50 % original shell, superb museum quality unhatched eggs such as this one are extremely hard to locate.
Add $25 for domestic shipping.
Estimated Value $1,250 - 1,500.
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