The first oviraptorid eggs (of the genus "Oviraptor", which mean "Egg thief") were found in close proximity to the remains of the ceratopsian dinosaur "Protoceratops" and it was assumed that the oviraptorids were preying upon the eggs of the ceratopsians. It was not until 1993, when a "Citipati" embryo was discovered inside an egg of the type assigned to "Protoceratops", that the error was corrected. Norell "et al.", who recognized the embryo as oviraptorid, assigned it to the genus "Citipati". The egg containing the embryo was smaller than most known "Citipati" eggs at only 12 cm, though it was partially eroded and broken into three pieces, making an accurate estimate of its original size difficult. The embryo-bearing egg was otherwise identical to other oviraptorid eggs in shell structure and was found in an isolated nest, again arranged in a circular pattern.