| Catalog Number: | YLSNHM01266 |
| Common Name: | Baby Yingliang |
| Species: | Oviraptoridae indet. |
| Age: | Late Cretaceous |
| Place Discovered: | Ganzhou, Jiangxi Province, China |
Baby Yingliang (YLSNHM01266) is a remarkably preserved dinosaur embryo discovered in Ganzhou, southern China. It was discovered in rock layers of the Hekou Formation, which dates to the Late Cretaceous. The embryo belongs to an oviraptorid theropod dinosaur, and the egg is classified as elongatoolithid. The specimen has been described as one of the best dinosaur embryos ever found.[1] The specimen represents a late-stage embryonic individual preserved in a position similar to extant birds, and is the first example of this to be found in a non-avian dinosaur. In birds, this behavior is known as "tucking", and is controlled by the central nervous system. This positions the head below the body with the feet on either side of the head and the back curled. The position aids in successful hatching.[2] [3] However, this interpretation of the specimen has been challenged, with some scientists suggesting that it cannot be directly compared to extant birds.[4]
The egg was discovered in 2000 by the stone mining company Yingliang Group.[5]
The head to tail size of Baby Yingliang measures 10.6in (27cm) that rests inside a 6.7 inch-long egg at the Yingliang Stone Nature History Museum in China.[1]