Cairanoolithus

† Cairanoolithus is an ootaxon — a genus defined by fossil eggs rather than body fossils — from the Late Cretaceous of southern France. The eggs are large and spherical, attributed to titanosaurian sauropod dinosaurs. Characterized by a distinctive shell microstructure, Cairanoolithus eggs are found in nest clusters in the Aix-en-Provence Basin. Their study provides important data on sauropod reproductive biology and nesting behavior in Late Cretaceous Europe.

Diet & Feeding

Herbivore

Cairanoolithus 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 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.