Salem (Tamil Nadu), Oct 2 : Geologists have said that the hundreds of dinosaur egg clusters discovered in Tamil Nadu belonged to one of the largest dinosaur species that ever lived.

There are about seven to eight eggs in each cluster and there are hundreds of such clusters strewn all over a two-square-km area.

They believe that the eggs found in layers date back to 65 million years.

"From our observation as well as the confirmation from our research collaborators located in international universities, it is identified that those strange spherical objects are dinosaur eggs belonging to the ''Carnosaur'' or ''Sauropod''. These two are herbivorous and predatory animals. They are one of the largest dinosaur species that ever lived," said Dr MU Ramkumar, head of the geology department, Periyar University.

Ramkumar said, the findings could throw light into what caused the extinction of dinosaurs that once roamed in the region.

"Our finding has thrown light on life habit of dinosaurs that means they came to the Ariyalur region every year or every egg-laying season to lay eggs and return. That means they have not lived continuously, simply as a nesting site they used the area," he added. Geologists from the Periyar University in Salem found the nesting site of dinosaurs in Ariyalur region on the Cauvery River basin.

Geologists tumbled upon the "Jurassic treasure trove" while they were trying to locate a suitable spot to excavate the riverbed for a research.

The football-sized eggs, about 13 to 20 cm in diameter, were buried in sandy nests measuring 1.25 metres.

A British geologist in the 1860s first recorded the presence of dinosaur eggs in Salem. A dinosaur egg was found in the 1990s in a government owned factory in the state. (ANI)