Dinosaur closest living relative
Pro Research Analysisby 
Searched over 200M research papers
Consensus Meter
Dinosaur Closest Living Relative: Insights from Recent Research
Dromaeosaurids and Birds: Evolutionary Connections
Dromaeosaurids, a group of theropod dinosaurs, are among the closest relatives to modern birds. Research on various dromaeosaurid fossils from the Early Cretaceous of Liaoning Province, China, has provided significant insights into their morphology and feather evolution. Notably, the discovery of Zhenyuanlong suni, a large-bodied, short-armed dromaeosaurid, revealed that these dinosaurs had large wings with pennaceous feathers on their arms and tails, similar to their smaller relatives. This finding underscores the evolutionary link between dromaeosaurids and birds, highlighting the complexity of their phylogenetic relationships.
Silesaurids: Dinosaur Precursors
Silesaurids, non-dinosaurian dinosauriforms, are considered the closest relatives of crown-group dinosaurs. The osteohistology of Sacisaurus agudoensis, a Late Triassic silesaurid from Brazil, shows rapid growth patterns similar to early dinosaurs, although with simpler vascular arrangements. This suggests that silesaurids shared several growth characteristics with early dinosaurs, further supporting their close evolutionary relationship.
Phylogenetic Challenges in Dinosaur Evolution
The classification of dinosaurs has been a subject of debate, with recent studies challenging traditional views. A notable study by Baron et al. proposed a new phylogenetic arrangement, placing theropods and ornithischians together in a group called Ornithoscelida. However, subsequent reanalyses have questioned this hypothesis, suggesting that the traditional saurischian-ornithischian dichotomy might still hold, albeit with weak support. This ongoing debate highlights the complexity and uncertainty in resolving early dinosaur relationships.
Conclusion
The closest living relatives of dinosaurs are birds, specifically through the dromaeosaurid lineage, which shares significant morphological and evolutionary traits with modern avians. Additionally, silesaurids, as dinosaur precursors, provide crucial insights into the early evolutionary stages of dinosaurs. Despite advancements in phylogenetic analyses, the exact relationships within the dinosaur family tree remain complex and subject to ongoing research and debate.
Sources and full results
Most relevant research papers on this topic