Parataxonomy of fossil egg remains (Veterovata): principles and applications

ABSTRACT

The tremendous increase in fossil egg and eggshell discoveries throughout the last decade necessitates the establishment of uniform methods for description and for a parataxonomical system for classification of fossil eggs. Principles and applications of fossil egg parataxonomy, which have been developing slowly over the last decades, are summarized in this paper. Adoption of these principles is advocated.

A list of all described egg parataxa, ordered into respective oofamilies and oogenera, is presented. A simplified chart shows basic types of eggshell organizations, structural morphotypes, parataxonomical families, and corresponding higher order taxonomic relations. Familial and lower level correlation between fossil vertebrate taxa and egg parataxa are limited to the rare finds of identifiable embryos within their eggs.