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)
View: histology (cross-section, mid-diaphysis)
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.Read the article »
Project DOI: 10.7934/P485, http://dx.doi.org/10.7934/P485
| This project contains | Matrices |
|---|---|
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 |
Currently Viewing:
MorphoBank Project 485
MorphoBank Project 485
- Creation Date:
22 March 2011 - Publication Date:
05 December 2012 - Media downloads: 97
- Matrix downloads: 33
This research
supported by
Authors' Institutions
- Natural History Museum, London
- University of California Berkeley
- University of Washington
Members
| member name | taxa |
specimens |
media | media notes | chars | character
| cell scorings (scored, NPA, "-") | cell
| rules | ||||||||||||||
| Sarah Werning Project Administrator | 1 | 2 | 20 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 (0, 0, 0) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||
| Paul Barrett Full membership | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 (0, 0, 0) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||
| Sterling Nesbitt Full membership | 82 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 413 | 0 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 21077 (19964, 0, 1113) | 0 | 81 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||
| Christian Sidor Full membership | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 (0, 0, 0) | 0 | 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 Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13 | 36 | 329 | 329 | 0 | 48 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [2] Prolacerta broomi Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13 | 13 | 358 | 358 | 0 | 42 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [3] Proterosuchus fergusi Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13 | 19 | 364 | 361 | 0 | 30 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [4] Erythrosuchus africanus Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13 | 27 | 363 | 363 | 0 | 23 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [5] Vancleavea campi Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13 | 105 | 284 | 284 | 0 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [6] Chanaresuchus bonapartei Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13 | 41 | 360 | 360 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [7] Tropidosuchus romeri Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13 | 89 | 310 | 310 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [8] Euparkeria capensis Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13 | 9 | 396 | 395 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [9] Parasuchus hislopi Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13 | 54 | 347 | 347 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [10] Smilosuchus gregorii Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13 | 61 | 338 | 338 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [11] Pseudopalatus pristinus Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13 | 19 | 382 | 382 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [12] Gracilisuchus stipanicicorum Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13 | 102 | 302 | 302 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [13] Turfanosuchus dabanensis Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13 | 145 | 261 | 259 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [14] Ornithosuchus longidens Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13 | 133 | 273 | 273 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [15] Riojasuchus tenuisceps Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13 | 52 | 352 | 352 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [16] Revueltosaurus callenderi Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13 | 29 | 377 | 377 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [17] Aetosaurus ferratus Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13 | 146 | 266 | 265 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [18] Stagonolepis robertsoni Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13 | 95 | 314 | 313 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [19] Longosuchus meadei Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13 | 61 | 345 | 334 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [20] Ticinosuchus ferox Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13 | 208 | 201 | 196 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [21] Qianosuchus mixtus Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13 | 128 | 282 | 282 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [22] Xilousuchus sapingensis Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13 | 296 | 117 | 116 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [23] Arizonasaurus babbitti Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13 | 149 | 252 | 250 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [24] Poposaurus gracilis holotype Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13 | 374 | 38 | 37 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [25] Poposaurus gracilis yale Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13 | 186 | 214 | 208 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [26] Lotosaurus adentus Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13 | 73 | 310 | 310 | 0 | 30 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [27] Sillosuchus longicervix Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13 | 324 | 79 | 79 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [28] Effigia okeeffeae Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13 | 69 | 315 | 315 | 0 | 29 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [29] Shuvosaurus inexpectatus Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13 | 76 | 308 | 308 | 0 | 29 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [30] Combined prestosuchus Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13 | 56 | 353 | 353 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [31] Saurosuchus galilei Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13 | 103 | 308 | 303 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [32] Batrachotomus kuperferzellensis Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13 | 62 | 350 | 346 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [33] Fasolasuchus tenax Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13 | 250 | 161 | 161 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [34] Rauisuchus triradentes Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13 | 281 | 132 | 132 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [35] Polonosuchus silesiacus Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13 | 295 | 118 | 118 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [36] Postosuchus kirkpatricki Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13 | 72 | 337 | 337 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [37] Postosuchus alisonae Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13 | 242 | 169 | 168 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [38] CM 73372 Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13 | 248 | 161 | 160 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [39] Hesperosuchus agilis Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13 | 195 | 215 | 214 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [40] Dromicosuchus grallator Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13 | 139 | 270 | 269 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [41] Hesperosuchus "agilis" Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13 | 120 | 288 | 288 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [42] Dibothrosuchus elaphros Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13 | 189 | 218 | 218 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [43] Terrestrisuchus gracilis Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13 | 88 | 317 | 317 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [44] Sphenosuchus acutus Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13 | 192 | 216 | 215 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [45] Litargosuchus leptorhynchus Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13 | 220 | 190 | 189 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [46] Kayentasuchus walkeri Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13 | 305 | 106 | 106 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [47] Orthosuchus stormbergi Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13 | 78 | 321 | 321 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [48] Alligator mississippiensis Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13 | 4 | 370 | 367 | 0 | 41 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [49] Protosuchus haughtoni Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13 | 250 | 158 | 158 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [50] Protosuchus richardsoni Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13 | 41 | 360 | 360 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [51] Eudimorphodon ranzii Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13 | 187 | 191 | 191 | 0 | 35 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [52] Dimorphodon macronyx Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13 | 177 | 201 | 201 | 0 | 35 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [53] Lagerpeton chanarensis Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13 | 260 | 133 | 133 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [54] Dromomeron gregorii Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13 | 370 | 42 | 42 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [55] Dromomeron romeri Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13 | 332 | 61 | 61 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [56] Marasuchus lilloensis Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13 | 194 | 203 | 203 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [57] Asilisaurus kongwe Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13 | 222 | 175 | 175 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [58] Eucoelophysis baldwini Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13 | 387 | 26 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [59] Sacisaurus agudoensis Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13 | 318 | 91 | 91 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [60] Lewisuchus admixtus Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13 | 273 | 130 | 130 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [61] Pseudolagosuchus majori Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13 | 301 | 95 | 95 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [62] Lewisuchus/Pseudolagosuchus Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13 | 187 | 224 | 224 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [63] Eocursor parvus Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13 | 259 | 141 | 141 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [64] Silesaurus opolensis Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13 | 56 | 334 | 332 | 0 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [65] Pisanosaurus mertii Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13 | 308 | 88 | 88 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [66] Heterodontosaurus tucki Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13 | 44 | 343 | 341 | 0 | 28 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [67] Lesothosaurus diagnosticus Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13 | 59 | 329 | 328 | 0 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [68] Scutellosaurus lawleri Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13 | 229 | 169 | 166 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [69] Herrerasaurus ischigualastensis Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13 | 47 | 343 | 340 | 0 | 23 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [70] Staurikosaurus pricei Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13 | 285 | 115 | 115 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [71] Eoraptor lunensis Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13 | 108 | 283 | 276 | 0 | 23 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [72] Saturnalia tupiniquim Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13 | 199 | 193 | 193 | 0 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [73] Plateosaurus engelhardti Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13 | 6 | 383 | 381 | 0 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [74] Efraasia minor Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13 | 68 | 319 | 319 | 0 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [75] Tawa hallae Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13 | 45 | 344 | 344 | 0 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [76] Coelophysis bauri Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13 | 31 | 361 | 361 | 0 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [77] Dilophosaurus wetherelli Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13 | 53 | 337 | 335 | 0 | 23 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [78] Allosaurus fragilis Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13 | 11 | 372 | 372 | 0 | 30 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [79] Velociraptor mongoliensis Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13 | 44 | 336 | 335 | 0 | 34 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [80] † Nyasasaurus parringtoni nhmuk (holotype) Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13 | 399 | 14 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [81] Nyasasaurus parringtoni sam (referred) Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13 | 403 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [82] Nyasasaurus parringtoni combined (holotype + referred) Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13 | 390 | 23 | 23 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
Project downloads
| type | number of downloads | Individual items downloaded (where applicable) |
| Total downloads from project | 647 | |
| 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 | 505 | |
| Document downloads | 12 | Nyasasaurus final (12 downloads); |