Parataxonomic classification of fossil chelonian and gecko eggs

ABSTRACT

The probability of fossil preservation of eggs with a soft or pliable shell or of small eggs with a thin hard shell layer is very poor. As result, their structural and parataxonomic classification has been almost non-existant.

To fill this gap, the following parataxonomic groups have been established: 1) for chelonian eggs two oofamilies Testudoolithidae and Testudoflexoolithidae with the oogenera Testudoolithus and Testudoflexoolithus and three oospecies, and 2) for gecko eggs one oofamily Gekkoolithidae, with the oogenus Gekkoolithus and one oospecies.

This paper also provides some condensed background information about amniote eggshell, its identification, structural and parataxonomical classification, and the potential of eggshell to fossilize.