What are the closest living relatives to dinosaurs
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Closest Living Relatives to Dinosaurs
Introduction to Dinosaur Relatives
Understanding the closest living relatives to dinosaurs involves delving into the evolutionary lineage of these ancient creatures. Dinosaurs, which dominated the Mesozoic era, have left behind a complex family tree that researchers have been untangling for decades. This article synthesizes recent research to identify the closest living relatives of dinosaurs.
Silesaurids: Non-Dinosaurian Dinosauriforms
Silesaurids, such as Sacisaurus agudoensis, are considered some of the closest relatives to crown-group dinosaurs. These non-dinosaurian dinosauriforms provide crucial insights into the early stages of dinosaur evolution. The osteohistology of Sacisaurus agudoensis reveals rapid growth patterns similar to early dinosaurs, although they lack the complex vascular arrangements seen in more derived dinosaurs. This positions silesaurids as a significant group for understanding the transition to true dinosaurs.
Birds: Direct Descendants of Theropods
Birds are widely recognized as the closest living relatives of dinosaurs, specifically theropod dinosaurs. The discovery of feathered dinosaurs, such as those from the Early Cretaceous of Liaoning Province, China, supports this connection. Dromaeosaurids, a group of theropods closely related to birds, exhibit feather morphologies and other anatomical features that are strikingly similar to modern birds. This evidence solidifies the evolutionary link between non-avian theropods and birds.
Crocodilians: Distant Relatives with Shared Ancestry
Crocodilians, while not as closely related to dinosaurs as birds, share a common ancestor with them. This relationship is evident in certain anatomical and physiological traits. For instance, both groups exhibit features related to their respiratory systems and metabolic rates, although crocodilians maintain ectothermic metabolic rates compared to the endothermic rates of birds. This shared ancestry places crocodilians as distant relatives within the broader archosaur lineage.
Pterosaurs and Lagerpetids: Close Relatives within Avemetatarsalia
Pterosaurs, the first vertebrates to achieve powered flight, are another group closely related to dinosaurs. Recent studies have identified lagerpetids as the sister group to pterosaurs, sharing numerous skeletal features. This discovery narrows the morphological gap between pterosaurs and their closest relatives, indicating that pterosaurs belong to the avian line of archosaurs. This relationship highlights the diversity and complexity of early archosaur evolution.
Conclusion
In summary, the closest living relatives to dinosaurs are birds, which are direct descendants of theropod dinosaurs. Silesaurids and pterosaurs, along with their sister group lagerpetids, provide additional context for understanding the evolutionary lineage of dinosaurs. Crocodilians, while more distantly related, share a common ancestor with dinosaurs, placing them within the broader archosaur family. These relationships underscore the intricate web of evolutionary connections that link modern animals to their ancient predecessors.
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Most relevant research papers on this topic
Osteohistology of the silesaurid Sacisaurus agudoensis from southern Brazil (Late Triassic) and implications for growth in early dinosaurs.
A large, short-armed, winged dromaeosaurid (Dinosauria: Theropoda) from the Early Cretaceous of China and its implications for feather evolution
Untangling the dinosaur family tree
Enigmatic dinosaur precursors bridge the gap to the origin of Pterosauria
The Anatomy of Asilisaurus kongwe, a Dinosauriform from the Lifua Member of the Manda Beds (~Middle Triassic) of Africa
Dinosaur Physiology: Were Dinosaurs Warm‐blooded?
Increases in sampling support the southern Gondwanan hypothesis for the origin of dinosaurs
Synchrotron scanning reveals amphibious ecomorphology in a new clade of bird-like dinosaurs
The oldest dinosaur? A Middle Triassic dinosauriform from Tanzania
The precise temporal calibration of dinosaur origins
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