What animal is closest related to dinosaurs
Pro Research Analysisby 
Searched over 200M research papers
Consensus Meter
Closest Living Relatives to Dinosaurs: Birds and Their Evolutionary Links
Birds as Living Theropod Dinosaurs
Birds are widely recognized as the closest living relatives to dinosaurs, specifically theropod dinosaurs. This connection is supported by extensive comparative genomics and fossil evidence. Birds are part of the Maniraptora clade, which includes both avian and non-avian theropods. The evolutionary lineage of birds can be traced back to small, feathered theropods, which exhibit many characteristics seen in modern birds.
Dromaeosaurids and Their Avian Connections
Dromaeosaurids, a group of feathered theropods, are among the closest relatives to birds. Fossils from the Early Cretaceous of Liaoning Province, China, such as Zhenyuanlong suni, show well-preserved feather morphologies that are strikingly similar to those of modern birds. These dromaeosaurids had large wings with pennaceous feathers, indicating a close evolutionary relationship with birds. Additionally, the discovery of Hesperonychus elizabethae, a small dromaeosaurid from the Late Cretaceous of North America, further supports the connection between dromaeosaurids and birds, as it shares many features with early avian species.
Maniraptoran Diversity and Evolution
The Maniraptora clade, which includes birds and their closest theropod relatives, showcases a wide range of evolutionary adaptations. For instance, Halszkaraptor escuilliei, a maniraptoran from Mongolia, exhibits a mix of features found in both reptilian and avian groups, including adaptations for an amphibious lifestyle. This diversity within Maniraptora highlights the evolutionary experimentation that occurred within this group, leading to the emergence of birds.
Early Dinosauriforms and Their Evolutionary Significance
The study of early dinosauriforms, such as Asilisaurus kongwe from the Middle Triassic of Tanzania, provides crucial insights into the evolutionary history of dinosaurs and their relatives. Asilisaurus kongwe shares several anatomical features with early dinosaurs, suggesting a close evolutionary relationship. These findings help clarify the complex character evolution within avemetatarsalians, the group that includes both dinosaurs and their closest relatives.
Genomic Insights into Dinosaur-Bird Relationships
Comparative cytogenomics has revealed that birds, as living theropod dinosaurs, share significant genomic similarities with other reptiles, particularly in their chromosome organization. Birds have a distinctive karyotype with around 80 chromosomes, a pattern that likely originated around 255 million years ago. This genomic organization may have contributed to the extensive phenotypic diversity seen in both dinosaurs and modern birds.
Conclusion
In summary, birds are the closest living relatives to dinosaurs, specifically theropod dinosaurs. This relationship is supported by fossil evidence of feathered theropods like dromaeosaurids and genomic studies that highlight significant similarities between birds and other reptiles. The evolutionary journey from non-avian theropods to modern birds showcases a fascinating array of adaptations and diversity, underscoring the deep evolutionary connections between these groups.
Sources and full results
Most relevant research papers on this topic
A large, short-armed, winged dromaeosaurid (Dinosauria: Theropoda) from the Early Cretaceous of China and its implications for feather evolution
Synchrotron scanning reveals amphibious ecomorphology in a new clade of bird-like dinosaurs
The Anatomy of Asilisaurus kongwe, a Dinosauriform from the Lifua Member of the Manda Beds (~Middle Triassic) of Africa
Dinosaurs: Comparative Cytogenomics of Their Reptile Cousins and Avian Descendants
A microraptorine (Dinosauria–Dromaeosauridae) from the Late Cretaceous of North America
A tiny ornithodiran archosaur from the Triassic of Madagascar and the role of miniaturization in dinosaur and pterosaur ancestry
Untangling the dinosaur family tree
Osteohistology of the silesaurid Sacisaurus agudoensis from southern Brazil (Late Triassic) and implications for growth in early dinosaurs.
The smallest known non-avian theropod dinosaur
Increases in sampling support the southern Gondwanan hypothesis for the origin of dinosaurs
Try another search
The impact of urbanization on biodiversity, ecosystem services, and urban heat island effects.
the present problem of face recogntion
The potential of lab-grown meat in addressing ethical and environmental concerns.
What are the health implications of the increasing use of telemedicine and digital health services?
What are natural remedies for eczema?
What are effective ways to manage the health of aging parents?