In an objective summary of "Pregnant Fossil May Shed Light on Animal Behavior," I would include key details such as the discovery of the first-ever pregnant plesiosaur fossil, the age of the fossil at approximately 78 million years, and information about the size of both the plesiosaur and its embryo. Additionally, I would highlight the significance of the finding, which provides evidence that plesiosaurs gave birth to live young instead of laying eggs, and the implications this has for understanding their social behavior. What I would not include are any opinions or interpretations beyond the findings themselves, such as specific comparisons to modern animals like dolphins or toothed whales, in order to maintain objectivity. Information not directly related to the discovery or its implications should also be excluded to keep the summary concise and focused.
"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. © NewsHour Productions LLC. All Rights Reserved. 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.”
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