In an objective summary of "Pregnant Plesiosaur Fossil May Shed Light on Ancient Animal’s Behavior," I would include key details such as the significance of the discovery of the first fossil of a pregnant plesiosaur, the time period it lived in, and the size of the creature and its embryo. I would also mention the implications of this finding regarding the reproductive behavior of plesiosaurs, specifically that they gave birth to live offspring rather than laying eggs. Additionally, I would note the potential insights into their social behavior, comparing them to modern toothed whales and dolphins. However, I would not include personal opinions, historical context unrelated to the reptile's behavior, or any speculative statements not supported by the research presented in the article.
"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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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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