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 dinosaurs1. 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 birds2. 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 birds6. 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 archosaurs4. 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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Osteohistology of the silesaurid Sacisaurus agudoensis from southern Brazil (Late Triassic) and implications for growth in early dinosaurs.
The Late Triassic silesaurid Sacisaurus agudoensis shows rapid growth in its limb bones, supporting the idea that rapid growth occurred early in the dinosauromorph lineage.
A large, short-armed, winged dromaeosaurid (Dinosauria: Theropoda) from the Early Cretaceous of China and its implications for feather evolution
Zhenyuanlong suni is a new genus and species of large-bodied, short-armed dromaeosaurid from the Early Cretaceous of China, providing new insights into feather evolution and dromaeosaurid phylogeny.
Untangling the dinosaur family tree
The Ornithoscelida hypothesis is not the final word on the dinosaur family tree, as there is still great uncertainty about its basic structure and origin.
Very Rigorous Journal
Highly CitedEnigmatic dinosaur precursors bridge the gap to the origin of Pterosauria
Lagerpetids, a group of cursorial, non-volant dinosaur precursors, are the sister group of pterosaurs, shortening the temporal and morphological gap between the oldest pterosaurs and their closest relatives.
Rigorous JournalHighly CitedThe Anatomy of Asilisaurus kongwe, a Dinosauriform from the Lifua Member of the Manda Beds (~Middle Triassic) of Africa
This study provides the first complete anatomy of Asilisaurus kongwe, a dinosauriform from the Middle Triassic Manda Beds of Tanzania, revealing its unique skull and plesiomorphic features, suggesting high homoplasy and parallel trends within Silesauridae and early dinosaur lineages
Dinosaur Physiology: Were Dinosaurs Warm‐blooded?
Dinosaurs were likely ectothermic, with lower metabolic rates than modern mammals or birds, but could maintain high body temperatures through behavioral or inertial thermoregulation due to favorable Mesozoic climate conditions.
Increases in sampling support the southern Gondwanan hypothesis for the origin of dinosaurs
A southern Gondwanan origin for dinosaurs remains the most plausible hypothesis, supported by increased taxonomic and geographic sampling and divergent phylogenetic results.
Synchrotron scanning reveals amphibious ecomorphology in a new clade of bird-like dinosaurs
Halszkaraptor escuilliei, a new clade of bird-like dinosaurs, exhibits amphibious ecomorphology, convergent with short-tailed birds, and shows neck hyperelongation for food procurement.
Very Rigorous JournalHighly CitedThe oldest dinosaur? A Middle Triassic dinosauriform from Tanzania
Nyasasaurus parringtoni demonstrates that the initial dinosaur radiation occurred over a longer timescale than previously thought, supporting a southern Pangaean origin for Dinosauria.
Highly CitedThe precise temporal calibration of dinosaur origins
Dinosaurs evolved relatively rapidly, with a shorter temporal gap between precursor assemblages and their first appearance, suggesting little ecosystem change.
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