Comparative morphotaxonomical affinities, palaeoecological implications and cladistic analyses of ornithoid eggshells (oofamily Laevisoolithidae) from the Late Cretaceous intertrappean beds of Anjar, District Kachchh, Gujarat, India

A re-evaluation of fragmentary ornithoid eggshells from the Late Cretaceous Intertrappean beds of Anjar, Gujarat, India, reveals their affiliation with the oofamily Laevisoolithidae, previously misclassified as Subtiliolithidae. These eggshells exhibit a smooth to rugose external surface with sub-rounded tubercles and a distinctive two-layer structure: a mammillary layer (196.1 µm) and a spongy layer (274.58 µm), characterized by a squamatic zone. Comparative analysis with other oofamilies (Elongatoolithidae, Prismatoolithidae) and cladistic assessments confirm their avian kinships, particularly aligning with enantiornithid birds. This study provides critical insights into the palaeoecological implications of these eggshells, enhancing our understanding of Late Cretaceous avian diversity in India.

Khosla, A., Fernández, M. S., Salgado, L., & Sahni, A. (2020). Comparative morphotaxonomical affinities, palaeoecological implications and cladistic analyses of ornithoid eggshells (oofamily Laevisoolithidae) from the Late Cretaceous intertrappean beds of Anjar, District Kachchh, Gujarat, India. Historical Biology, 33(11), 2829–2844. https://doi.org/10.1080/08912963.2020.1830279