However, the entire area from where the team of researchers had reported their findings offered tremendous potential from a geological viewpoint.
“Eggs or no eggs, this is a wonderful site of international geological significance. This is a very potential horizon. More efforts and multi-disciplinary studies have to be taken up, and such efforts could even lead to the discovery of a dinosaur egg or nesting site, especially in view of the fact that a dinosaur egg was found at the Kallankurichi [also near Ariyalur] mines of the Tamil Nadu Cements in 1992,” he told The Hindu after inspecting the site spread over about 2 sq km on Thursday.
Dr. Mohabey, who has done extensive studies on palaeontology across the country, was joined by a team of geologists from GSI Chennai and Hyderabad, comprising M. Renganathan, V. Ganesan, Y. Sitaramaiah and A.V.R. Chowdhry. Mu. Ramkumar and K. Anbarasu, Assistant Professors, Department of Geology, Periyar University, Salem, who led the research project at the site; K. Kumarasamy, Head, Department of Geography; and K. Manivel, Head, Department of Geology, Bharathidasan University, were present to brief Dr. Mohabey on their findings.
The morphology and micro-structure of what were made out to be eggs and nests did not conform to established parameters, Dr. Mohabey said. Generally, fossilised eggs in a dinosaur nest would be in uniform shape and size. But here they were in different shapes and sizes.
After inspecting the sites along the Senthurai Odai and Niniyur Odai, Dr. Mohabey said he could find several other fossils which had international geological significance. The Niniyur, Kallamedu and Kallankurichi geological formations were also found close to one another at the site.
Dr. Mohabey held discussions with Collector T. Abraham and appreciated the district administration’s efforts to secure the site by fencing it. He told Mr. Abraham there was a need for more investigations, during the course of which interesting finds could come up.
Faculty members of the Periyar and Bharathidasan universities discussed with Mr. Abraham the modalities of establishing a field museum at the site. The Collector promised support for the project.
The faculty members said they planned to conduct a ground penetrating radar (GPR) survey to scout for any dinosaur nests below the ground.