Cairanoolithus dughii

† Cairanoolithus dughii is the type oöspecies of the ootaxon Cairanoolithus, representing large spherical dinosaur eggs from the Late Cretaceous of southern France. Attributed to titanosaurian sauropods, these eggs display a distinctive mammillary layer microstructure. Named for collector Dughi, they were among the first Late Cretaceous dinosaur eggs systematically described from Europe, laying groundwork for understanding sauropod nesting ecology in the Maastrichtian of the Ibero-Armorican province.

Diet & Feeding

Herbivore

Cairanoolithus dughii was a plant-eating dinosaur. Herbivores typically fed on ferns, cycads, conifers, and other vegetation available during their era. Many herbivorous dinosaurs developed specialized teeth and digestive systems for processing tough plant material.

Time Period

Cretaceous Late Mesozoic Era

Cairanoolithus dughii lived during the Cretaceous Late period of the Mesozoic Era, approximately 100.5 to 66.0 million years ago.

The final age of dinosaurs, featuring iconic species like Tyrannosaurus rex, Triceratops, and Velociraptor. Dinosaurs reached their peak diversity before the catastrophic asteroid impact at the Chicxulub crater ended the Mesozoic Era.