Morphobank

Project 485: S. J. Nesbitt, P. M. Barrett, S. Werning, C. A. Sidor, A. J. Charig. 2013. The oldest dinosaur? A Middle Triassic dinosauriform from Tanzania. Biology Letters. 9:5pp.

Specimen: † Nyasasaurus parringtoni (NHMUK:R6586)
View: histology (cross-section, mid-diaphysis)

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Abstract

The rise of dinosaurs was a major event in vertebrate history, but the timing of the origin and early diversification of the group remain poorly constrained. Here, we describe Nyasasaurus parringtoni gen. et sp. nov., which is identified as either the earliest known member of, or the sister-taxon to, Dinosauria. Nyasasaurus possesses a unique combination of dinosaur character states and an elevated growth rate similar to that of definitive early dinosaurs. It demonstrates that the initial dinosaur radiation occurred over a longer timescale than previously thought (possibly 15 Myr earlier), and that dinosaurs and their immediate relatives are better understood as part of a larger Middle Triassic archosauriform radiation. The African provenance of Nyasasaurus supports a southern Pangaean origin for Dinosauria.

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Project DOI: 10.7934/P485, http://dx.doi.org/10.7934/P485

This project contains	Matrices
21 Media 1 Matrix 1 Document 3 Folios 83 Taxa 2 Specimens 413 Characters Total size of project's media files: 161.84M Download Project SDD File	Total scored cells: 21077 Total media associated with cells: 0 Total labels associated with cell media: 0
	Characters
	Total characters: 413 Total characters with associated media: 0 Total characters with media with labels: 0 Total character states: 898 Total character states with associated media: 0 Total character states with media with labels:0 Total unordered/ordered characters:413/0

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MorphoBank Project 485

Creation Date:
22 March 2011
Publication Date:
05 December 2012
Project views: 82547
Media downloads: 97
Matrix downloads: 33

This research
supported by

Authors' Institutions

Natural History Museum, London

University of California Berkeley

University of Washington

Members

Sarah Werning
Project Administrator

0
(0, 0, 0)

Paul Barrett
Full membership

0
(0, 0, 0)

Sterling Nesbitt
Full membership

413

21077
(19964, 0, 1113)

Christian Sidor
Full membership

0
(0, 0, 0)

Taxonomic Overview for Matrix 'M1808' (82 Taxa)

taxon	unscored cells	scored cells	no cell support	NPA cells	"-" cells	cell images	labels on cell images	member access
[1] Mesosuchus browni Last Modified in 12/05/13	36	329	329	0	48	0	0	4
[2] Prolacerta broomi Last Modified in 12/05/13	13	358	358	0	42	0	0	4
[3] Proterosuchus fergusi Last Modified in 12/05/13	19	364	361	0	30	0	0	4
[4] Erythrosuchus africanus Last Modified in 12/05/13	27	363	363	0	23	0	0	4
[5] Vancleavea campi Last Modified in 12/05/13	105	284	284	0	24	0	0	4
[6] Chanaresuchus bonapartei Last Modified in 12/05/13	41	360	360	0	12	0	0	4
[7] Tropidosuchus romeri Last Modified in 12/05/13	89	310	310	0	14	0	0	4
[8] Euparkeria capensis Last Modified in 12/05/13	9	396	395	0	9	0	0	4
[9] Parasuchus hislopi Last Modified in 12/05/13	54	347	347	0	12	0	0	4
[10] Smilosuchus gregorii Last Modified in 12/05/13	61	338	338	0	14	0	0	4
[11] Pseudopalatus pristinus Last Modified in 12/05/13	19	382	382	0	12	0	0	4
[12] Gracilisuchus stipanicicorum Last Modified in 12/05/13	102	302	302	0	9	0	0	4
[13] Turfanosuchus dabanensis Last Modified in 12/05/13	145	261	259	0	7	0	0	4
[14] Ornithosuchus longidens Last Modified in 12/05/13	133	273	273	0	7	0	0	4
[15] Riojasuchus tenuisceps Last Modified in 12/05/13	52	352	352	0	9	0	0	4
[16] Revueltosaurus callenderi Last Modified in 12/05/13	29	377	377	0	7	0	0	4
[17] Aetosaurus ferratus Last Modified in 12/05/13	146	266	265	0	2	0	0	4
[18] Stagonolepis robertsoni Last Modified in 12/05/13	95	314	313	0	4	0	0	4
[19] Longosuchus meadei Last Modified in 12/05/13	61	345	334	0	7	0	0	4
[20] Ticinosuchus ferox Last Modified in 12/05/13	208	201	196	0	4	0	0	4
[21] Qianosuchus mixtus Last Modified in 12/05/13	128	282	282	0	3	0	0	4
[22] Xilousuchus sapingensis Last Modified in 12/05/13	296	117	116	0	0	0	0	4
[23] Arizonasaurus babbitti Last Modified in 12/05/13	149	252	250	0	12	0	0	4
[24] Poposaurus gracilis holotype Last Modified in 12/05/13	374	38	37	0	1	0	0	4
[25] Poposaurus gracilis yale Last Modified in 12/05/13	186	214	208	0	14	0	0	4
[26] Lotosaurus adentus Last Modified in 12/05/13	73	310	310	0	30	0	0	4
[27] Sillosuchus longicervix Last Modified in 12/05/13	324	79	79	0	10	0	0	4
[28] Effigia okeeffeae Last Modified in 12/05/13	69	315	315	0	29	0	0	4
[29] Shuvosaurus inexpectatus Last Modified in 12/05/13	76	308	308	0	29	0	0	4
[30] Combined prestosuchus Last Modified in 12/05/13	56	353	353	0	4	0	0	4
[31] Saurosuchus galilei Last Modified in 12/05/13	103	308	303	0	2	0	0	4
[32] Batrachotomus kuperferzellensis Last Modified in 12/05/13	62	350	346	0	1	0	0	4
[33] Fasolasuchus tenax Last Modified in 12/05/13	250	161	161	0	2	0	0	4
[34] Rauisuchus triradentes Last Modified in 12/05/13	281	132	132	0	0	0	0	4
[35] Polonosuchus silesiacus Last Modified in 12/05/13	295	118	118	0	0	0	0	4
[36] Postosuchus kirkpatricki Last Modified in 12/05/13	72	337	337	0	4	0	0	4
[37] Postosuchus alisonae Last Modified in 12/05/13	242	169	168	0	2	0	0	4
[38] CM 73372 Last Modified in 12/05/13	248	161	160	0	4	0	0	4
[39] Hesperosuchus agilis Last Modified in 12/05/13	195	215	214	0	3	0	0	4
[40] Dromicosuchus grallator Last Modified in 12/05/13	139	270	269	0	4	0	0	4
[41] Hesperosuchus "agilis" Last Modified in 12/05/13	120	288	288	0	5	0	0	4
[42] Dibothrosuchus elaphros Last Modified in 12/05/13	189	218	218	0	6	0	0	4
[43] Terrestrisuchus gracilis Last Modified in 12/05/13	88	317	317	0	8	0	0	4
[44] Sphenosuchus acutus Last Modified in 12/05/13	192	216	215	0	5	0	0	4
[45] Litargosuchus leptorhynchus Last Modified in 12/05/13	220	190	189	0	3	0	0	4
[46] Kayentasuchus walkeri Last Modified in 12/05/13	305	106	106	0	2	0	0	4
[47] Orthosuchus stormbergi Last Modified in 12/05/13	78	321	321	0	14	0	0	4
[48] Alligator mississippiensis Last Modified in 12/05/13	4	370	367	0	41	0	0	4
[49] Protosuchus haughtoni Last Modified in 12/05/13	250	158	158	0	5	0	0	4
[50] Protosuchus richardsoni Last Modified in 12/05/13	41	360	360	0	12	0	0	4
[51] Eudimorphodon ranzii Last Modified in 12/05/13	187	191	191	0	35	0	0	4
[52] Dimorphodon macronyx Last Modified in 12/05/13	177	201	201	0	35	0	0	4
[53] Lagerpeton chanarensis Last Modified in 12/05/13	260	133	133	0	20	0	0	4
[54] Dromomeron gregorii Last Modified in 12/05/13	370	42	42	0	1	0	0	4
[55] Dromomeron romeri Last Modified in 12/05/13	332	61	61	0	20	0	0	4
[56] Marasuchus lilloensis Last Modified in 12/05/13	194	203	203	0	16	0	0	4
[57] Asilisaurus kongwe Last Modified in 12/05/13	222	175	175	0	16	0	0	4
[58] Eucoelophysis baldwini Last Modified in 12/05/13	387	26	26	0	0	0	0	4
[59] Sacisaurus agudoensis Last Modified in 12/05/13	318	91	91	0	4	0	0	4
[60] Lewisuchus admixtus Last Modified in 12/05/13	273	130	130	0	10	0	0	4
[61] Pseudolagosuchus majori Last Modified in 12/05/13	301	95	95	0	17	0	0	4
[62] Lewisuchus/Pseudolagosuchus Last Modified in 12/05/13	187	224	224	0	2	0	0	4
[63] Eocursor parvus Last Modified in 12/05/13	259	141	141	0	13	0	0	4
[64] Silesaurus opolensis Last Modified in 12/05/13	56	334	332	0	24	0	0	4
[65] Pisanosaurus mertii Last Modified in 12/05/13	308	88	88	0	17	0	0	4
[66] Heterodontosaurus tucki Last Modified in 12/05/13	44	343	341	0	28	0	0	4
[67] Lesothosaurus diagnosticus Last Modified in 12/05/13	59	329	328	0	26	0	0	4
[68] Scutellosaurus lawleri Last Modified in 12/05/13	229	169	166	0	16	0	0	4
[69] Herrerasaurus ischigualastensis Last Modified in 12/05/13	47	343	340	0	23	0	0	4
[70] Staurikosaurus pricei Last Modified in 12/05/13	285	115	115	0	13	0	0	4
[71] Eoraptor lunensis Last Modified in 12/05/13	108	283	276	0	23	0	0	4
[72] Saturnalia tupiniquim Last Modified in 12/05/13	199	193	193	0	21	0	0	4
[73] Plateosaurus engelhardti Last Modified in 12/05/13	6	383	381	0	24	0	0	4
[74] Efraasia minor Last Modified in 12/05/13	68	319	319	0	26	0	0	4
[75] Tawa hallae Last Modified in 12/05/13	45	344	344	0	24	0	0	4
[76] Coelophysis bauri Last Modified in 12/05/13	31	361	361	0	21	0	0	4
[77] Dilophosaurus wetherelli Last Modified in 12/05/13	53	337	335	0	23	0	0	4
[78] Allosaurus fragilis Last Modified in 12/05/13	11	372	372	0	30	0	0	4
[79] Velociraptor mongoliensis Last Modified in 12/05/13	44	336	335	0	34	0	0	4
[80] † Nyasasaurus parringtoni nhmuk (holotype) Last Modified in 12/05/13	399	14	14	0	0	0	0	4
[81] Nyasasaurus parringtoni sam (referred) Last Modified in 12/05/13	403	10	10	0	0	0	0	4
[82] Nyasasaurus parringtoni combined (holotype + referred) Last Modified in 12/05/13	390	23	23	0	0	0	0	4

Project views

type	number of views	Individual items viewed (where applicable)
Total project views	82547
Project overview	6468
Media views	29726	Media search (7301 views); M128713 (1119 views); M128711 (1024 views); M128712 (959 views); M149577 (1425 views); M67962 (1048 views); M128709 (989 views); M68023 (1370 views); M128708 (1020 views); M68004 (921 views); M68003 (946 views); M68005 (1193 views); M149578 (976 views); M128714 (1034 views); M128710 (1000 views); M68022 (1231 views); M68025 (910 views); M68024 (944 views); M68021 (1331 views); M68008 (998 views); M68006 (1030 views); M68007 (957 views);
Matrix views	3363	Matrix landing page (2927 views); The relationships of Nyasasaurus (435 views); Data matrix (1 view);
Specimen list	4805
Folio views	4359	Folio list (1597 views); NHMUK R6856 Histology (942 views); NHMUK R6856 Osteology (948 views); SAM-PK-K10654 Osteology (872 views);
Documents list	2271
Taxon list	26536
Views for media list	5016
Bibliography	3

Project downloads

type	number of downloads	Individual items downloaded (where applicable)
Total downloads from project	649
Matrix downloads	33	The relationships of Nyasasaurus (33 downloads);
Media downloads	97	M128712 (4 downloads); M67962 (8 downloads); M68003 (8 downloads); M68004 (3 downloads); M68005 (11 downloads); M128713 (4 downloads); M128711 (5 downloads); M149578 (2 downloads); M149577 (9 downloads); M128714 (4 downloads); M128710 (3 downloads); M128709 (3 downloads); M128708 (11 downloads); M68023 (4 downloads); M68022 (3 downloads); M68025 (2 downloads); M68024 (2 downloads); M68021 (4 downloads); M68008 (3 downloads); M68006 (3 downloads); M68007 (1 download);
Project downloads	507
Document downloads	12	Nyasasaurus final (12 downloads);