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.
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 - Project views: 82569
- 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 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 | 82569 | |
Project overview | 6469 | |
Media views | 29731 | Media search (7304 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 (977 views); M128714 (1034 views); M128710 (1001 views); M68022 (1231 views); M68025 (910 views); M68024 (944 views); M68021 (1331 views); M68008 (998 views); M68006 (1030 views); M68007 (957 views); |
Matrix views | 3366 | Matrix landing page (2930 views); The relationships of Nyasasaurus (435 views); Data matrix (1 view); |
Specimen list | 4807 | |
Folio views | 4361 | Folio list (1598 views); NHMUK R6856 Histology (942 views); NHMUK R6856 Osteology (948 views); SAM-PK-K10654 Osteology (873 views); |
Documents list | 2272 | |
Taxon list | 26542 | |
Views for media list | 5018 | |
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); |