"Pregnant Fossil May Shed Light on Animal Behavior"

by PBS NewsHour

Scientists have pieced together the first-ever fossil of a pregnant plesiosaur, a giant Mesozoic sea reptile from the Cretaceous Era, with an embryo still inside.

The animal, which roamed the seas 78-million years ago, is about 15-feet long—the length of a minibus—and bones indicate that the baby plesiosaur would have been as long as six feet when born.

The finding, published in the online edition of the journal Science on Thursday, is definitive evidence that the giant sea creature gave birth to single, live offspring, rather than laying eggs, like most reptiles, says paleontologist and lead author F. Robin O’Keefe. This reproductive behavior also indicates that the animals were gregarious social creatures that cared for their young, similar to toothed whales or dolphins, according to the paper.

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Question
Use the passage “Pregnant Plesiosaur Fossil May Shed Light on Ancient Animal’s Behavior” to answer the question.

Write 4–5 sentences in which you explain what you would include and not include in an objective summary of “Pregnant Plesiosaur Fossil May Shed Light on Ancient Animal’s Behavior.”
AND YOU BETTER WRITE THEM IN 4 SENTENCES IN A HUMAN WRITTEN ANSWER BY PARAPHRASING NOT AN AI GENERATED ANSWER JUST FOLLOW THE RUBRIC
Short Answer Rubric (4 points)
Points Awarded Criteria
4
The answer is very clear.

The answer is fully supported by details.

There may be a few errors in grammar, usage, or mechanics. Errors do not interfere with meaning.

3
The answer is mostly clear.

The answer is supported by mostly relevant details.

There are a few errors in grammar, usage, or mechanics. Errors do not interfere with meaning.

2
The answer is somewhat clear.

Details are weak or not related.

There are some errors in grammar, usage, and mechanics. Errors interfere with meaning.

1
The answer is not clear.

There are few or no supporting details.

There are many errors in grammar, usage, and mechanics. Errors interfere with meaning.

0 The question is not answered.
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1 answer

In an objective summary of the article about the pregnant plesiosaur fossil, I would include key details such as the identification of the fossil as the first of its kind, confirming that plesiosaurs gave birth to live young rather than laying eggs. Additionally, I would note the significance of the finding in understanding the social behavior of these ancient creatures, drawing parallels to modern social marine mammals. I would not include speculative interpretations or emotional language that suggest the plesiosaurs had complex family dynamics without evidence. Moreover, I would refrain from excessive technical jargon that could confuse readers unfamiliar with paleontology.

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