Lystrosaurus, the herbivore that survived the Great Dying, now confirmed to lay eggs—proof it’s an ancient mammal ancestor.
Scientists have identified fossilized eggs of a 250-million-year-old therapsid, showing these ancestors of mammals laid eggs. Using advanced imaging, they revealed the embryo inside a soft eggshell, shedding light on early reproductive strategies and survival tactics of prehistoric animals. This discovery confirms therapsids' oviparity and enhances understanding of mammalian evolution.