Mousehead Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 (edited) Hey guys! I'm curious about this egg fossil I've got here – it's been preserved with its hollow shell intact and sort of crystalized. I know there are loads of these eggs out there, but I've never seen one like this before so I'm wondering how unusual it really is. The other egg seems to be solid when held under a bright light. Here's what I know about it: – Ophidienovum sp – From a snake, I think – Tertiary/Miocene – From Mainz, Germany – Eggs are 2cm long Would love to hear your input! Edited January 23, 2018 by Mousehead Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kane Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 Welcome to the forum. Certainly an interesting item, but I have my doubts this is a fossil egg as opposed to a calcite(?)-filled nodule. Our fossil "eggs-perts" should be along shortly to give you a much more definitive opinion! I'm hoping it is an egg, but I usually see them with more crackled texture. ...How to Philosophize with a Hammer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digit Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 I too get the geological rather than biological feel from this one. We are blessed with having some good "eggs-ports" as Kane mentioned so I await their input on this. Where did you get this item? Was if something you found or purchased? Cheers. -Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mousehead Posted January 23, 2018 Author Share Posted January 23, 2018 Hey thanks! You people are fast. This was something I purchased. If it helps, for scale, the eggs are about 2cm long. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
izak_ Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 If you look here you can see some other specimens of Ophidienovum eggs, they look pretty similar imo. What are the fossils in the matrix, gastropods? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Troodon Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 Fits the size of Ophidienovum (snake) eggs,could be hatched. Lots of them are sold. example of one 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheney416 Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 Really interesting one... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tidgy's Dad Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 Lots of these on the net. Often found in matrix with little gastropods, too. I think they're real. 4 Life's Good! Tortoise Friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digit Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 I'll start off by saying that I have no experience whatsoever with fossilized eggs though, as you'll see, this won't keep me from adding in my two cents. Many turtle, lizard and snake eggs that I've come across are not hardened with calcium carbonate but tend to be rather thin leathery/plasticy membrane shells. I wonder if the filled egg once buried and on its way to becoming a fossil may completely decompose away leaving a biologically produced "vug" for lack of a better term which may then be filled with a calcite material (either as a hollow form or a solid)? Again, completely theoretical on my part coming from a complete lack of experience with these fossils but guessing at the taphonomy that might produce such a representation of these little eggs. Cheers. -Ken 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ynot Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 These look remarkably similar to agate nodules, even the smaller "snails" in the matrix pieces. I can not see a reptile egg retaining this shape as a fossil, because as Digit said, they are soft shelled eggs. Darwin said: " Man sprang from monkeys." Will Rogers said: " Some of them didn't spring far enough." My Fossil collection - My Mineral collection My favorite thread on TFF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Troodon Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 Tried to find some scientific evidence to support these eggs Mitt-Bad-Landesver-Natkde-Natschutz-Freiburg_NF_13_0127-0134.pdf A Paleoportal, unfortunately cannot find the English version with this view https://www.ammonit.ru/foto/39797.htm 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doushantuo Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 ophidian eggs:finely striated,heteropolar(elongate) bird eggs have a slight resemblance to dinosaur eggs Cote: from the side Dessus:from above turtle egg:oval,smooth eclos: hatched lithology: lacustrine marls,micritic carbonates,the greenish ones with mammal remains & bone debris,white marls with charophytes and ostracods Bouxwiller is actually a pretty famous locality,much lik eg.Issel. The Cenozoic geology of the Upper Rhine graben is pretty well known . BTW: (yes,I know it says "dinosaur",but the scheme might apply to most amniotes(if not all)) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HamptonsDoc Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 Could be snake eggs but I don’t know much about them. If they are then the crystallization is pretty cool! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJB Posted January 29, 2018 Share Posted January 29, 2018 I certainly dont know, but I sure do like digit's idea. RB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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