Tiny Fossil Egg Breaks Guinness World Record in China
News Desk
Nanchang: A tiny fossilized dinosaur egg discovered in east China’s Jiangxi Province has been officially recognized by the Guinness World Records as the smallest non-avian dinosaur egg ever found, according to the Jiangxi provincial institute of geological survey and exploration.
The record-breaking egg measures just 29.93 mm in length and is part of a nest of six eggs unearthed in 2021 in Meilin Township, Ganzhou City.
Researchers have identified the fossil nest as dating back to the Late Cretaceous period, more than 80 million years ago. After several years of detailed study, a joint research team from the Jiangxi geological survey and exploration institute, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), and other institutions classified the fossils as a new genus and species, named Minioolithus ganzhouensis.
Using advanced analytical techniques, including scanning electron microscopy, scientists examined the eggshell microstructure. Their findings suggest the eggs belonged to a non-avian theropod dinosaur.
The newly confirmed size surpasses the previous record of approximately 45 mm, held by a Japanese fossil discovered in 2020, making it the smallest known non-avian dinosaur egg to date.
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The research was published in the journal Historical Biology in October 2024.
Experts say the discovery adds significant new information to the diversity of dinosaur eggs from the Late Cretaceous period and provides deeper insight into the evolution of theropod dinosaurs. The Ganzhou Basin continues to be regarded as one of the world’s richest fossil sites for dinosaur eggs.
