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Macroelongatoolithus xixia, Dinosaur Eggs

The rarest of all dinosaur eggs are those belonging to the predators at the top of the food chain. Macroelongatoolithus is the largest of the egg genus. When these eggs were first described they were thought to have been laid by a Tarbosaurus. The Tarbosaur was originally described as Tyrannosaurus bataar in 1955, then ten years later reclassified as a Tarbosaurus. A couple of decades later it was placed back in a Tyrannosaurus status. This type of egg has been associated with the Tarbosaurs due to their rarity, shape, size, the formation where they were found and the lack of another dinosaur of a similar size from the same time and location as the eggs. What added to the uncertainty of their origin is that they were similar to much smaller oviraptor eggs.

In mid 2007 "A Gigantic Bird-like Dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous of China" was found. It was as tall as Tyrannosaurus. It would have been 16 feet tall, about 26 feet long. and would have weighed 3,000 pounds. It was given the name Gigantoraptor erlianensis.

Until an egg can be found with a nearly full term embryo inside, it will be difficult to say for sure which dinosaur laid them. Adding to the confusion of egg identification is that they are classified by their own genus and species name based on shell structure and type (completely independent of the dinosaur which is suspected of having laid it). This allows paleontologists to study and categorize many types of eggs without needing to make uncertain links to a certain type of dinosaur. Due to the rarity of fossilized bones within the shells of fossil eggs, in most cases it would be impossible to positively identify the species of dinosaur which laid it. One thing for certain though, is that this species of egg is Macroelongatoolithus xixia. It is among the rarest and most sought after of dinosaur eggs by museums, collectors, and investors.

An egg type which is identical to this one was in National Geographic, May 1996 edition, featuring a fossilized embryo named "Baby Louie."

Retail for the original of these two rare beauties is about $14,000.00.