Patagonian Fossils Show Jurassic Dinosaur Had the Herd Mentality

Patagonian Fossils Show Jurassic Dinosaur Had the Herd Mentality
A nest of the Jurassic Period Patagonian plant-eating dinosaur Mussaurus patagonicus with newborns and a parent is seen in an undated artist's rendition. Jorge Gonzalez/Handout via Reuters
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A vast trove of fossils unearthed in Argentina’s southern Patagonia region is offering the oldest-known evidence that some dinosaurs thrived in a complex and well-organized herd structure, with adults caring for the young and sharing a communal nesting ground.

Scientists said on Thursday the fossils include more than 100 dinosaur eggs and the bones of about 80 juveniles and adults of a Jurassic Period plant-eating species called Mussaurus patagonicus, including 20 remarkably complete skeletons.