closest relatives to dinosaurs

Introduction

The evolutionary lineage of dinosaurs is a subject of significant interest, particularly in identifying their closest living relatives. This topic has been explored through various phylogenetic studies and fossil analyses.

Key Insights

Tunicates as Closest Living Relatives to Vertebrates: Phylogenomic data from genome sequencing suggests that tunicates, rather than cephalochordates, are the closest living relatives of vertebrates, challenging traditional views based on morphological similarities.
Dromaeosaurs as Close Relatives of Birds: Paleontological evidence from the fossil record, such as the discovery of the feathered Microraptor, indicates that dromaeosaurs, a group of theropod dinosaurs, are among the closest dinosaurian relatives to birds.
Lagerpetids and Silesaurids in Dinosaur Evolution: Fossil evidence from the Triassic period shows the coexistence of dinosaurs with lagerpetids and silesaurids, suggesting these groups were closely related to dinosaurs and important for understanding early dinosaur diversification and biogeography.
Maniraptorans and Novel Ecomorphologies: Synchrotron scanning of a maniraptoran fossil reveals a new clade of bird-like dinosaurs with amphibious ecomorphology, indicating that maniraptorans, which include birds and their closest theropod relatives, evolved diverse ecological adaptations.

Conclusion

The closest living relatives to dinosaurs are not a single group but rather a collection of lineages that share a common ancestry with them. Tunicates have been identified as the closest living relatives to vertebrates, while within the dinosaur clade, dromaeosaurs are closely related to birds. Additionally, lagerpetids and silesaurids are recognized as important relatives in the context of dinosaur evolution. Maniraptorans, particularly those with bird-like characteristics, represent a diverse clade that developed various ecological adaptations, including those suited for an amphibious lifestyle.

Closest relatives to dinosaurs

Summary

Introduction

Key Insights

Conclusion

Sources and full results

Tunicates and not cephalochordates are the closest living relatives of vertebrates

Tunicates, not cephalochordates, are the closest living relatives of vertebrates, redefining the origins of chordate animals and influencing the interpretation of developmental and genomic studies.

Tiny, Feathered Dino Is Most Birdlike Yet

Microraptor is the smallest and most birdlike dinosaur yet discovered, belonging to the dromaeosaurs, which are considered the closest dinosaurian relatives of birds.

Molecular and Genomic Data Identify the Closest Living Relative of Primates

Colugos are the closest living relatives of primates, with their divergence occurring in the Cretaceous period.

The oldest known co-occurrence of dinosaurs and their closest relatives: A new lagerpetid from a Carnian (Upper Triassic) bed of Brazil with implications for dinosauromorph biostratigraphy, early diversification and biogeography

The new lagerpetid dinosauromorph from Brazil confirms the oldest known co-occurrence of dinosaurs and their closest relatives, reinforcing the idea that they coexisted for at least 21 million years before their extinction.

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.

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.

Footprints pull origin and diversification of dinosaur stem lineage deep into Early Triassic

The origin of the dinosaur stem lineage is shifted back to the Early Olenekian (ca 249-251 Ma), 5-9 Myr earlier than previously thought, suggesting a drawn-out evolutionary process.

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.

The 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

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.

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