Project 485: Nesbitt, S. J., P. M. Barrett, S. Werning, C. A. Sidor, and 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 »
| This project contains | Matrices |
|---|---|
| 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 |
Currently Viewing:
MorphoBank Project 485
MorphoBank Project 485
- Creation Date:
22 March 2011 - Publication Date:
05 December 2012 - Project views: 6589
- Project downloads: 605
Members
| member name | taxa |
specimens |
media | media notes | chars | character
| cell scorings (scored, NPA, "-") | cell
| rules | ||||||||||||||
| Sarah Werning Project Administrator Last logged in 12/05/12 | 1 | 2 | 20 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 (0, 0, 0) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||
| Paul Barrett Full membership Last logged in 04/11/11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 (0, 0, 0) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||
| Sterling Nesbitt Full membership Last logged in 12/04/12 | 82 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 413 | 0 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 21077 (19964, 0, 1113) | 0 | 81 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||
| Christian Sidor Full membership Last logged in 07/13/12 | 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 |
cell support |
NPA cells |
"-" cells | cell images | labels on cell images |
member access |
| [1] Mesosuchus browni Last Modified in 09/23/12 | 36 | 329 | 329 | 0 | 48 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [2] Prolacerta broomi Last Modified in 09/23/12 | 13 | 358 | 358 | 0 | 42 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [3] Proterosuchus fergusi Last Modified in 09/23/12 | 19 | 364 | 361 | 0 | 30 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [4] Erythrosuchus africanus Last Modified in 09/23/12 | 27 | 363 | 363 | 0 | 23 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [5] Vancleavea campi Last Modified in 09/23/12 | 105 | 284 | 284 | 0 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [6] Chanaresuchus bonapartei Last Modified in 09/23/12 | 41 | 360 | 360 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [7] Tropidosuchus romeri Last Modified in 09/23/12 | 89 | 310 | 310 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [8] Euparkeria capensis Last Modified in 09/23/12 | 9 | 396 | 395 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [9] Parasuchus hislopi Last Modified in 09/23/12 | 54 | 347 | 347 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [10] Smilosuchus gregorii Last Modified in 09/23/12 | 61 | 338 | 338 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [11] Pseudopalatus pristinus Last Modified in 09/23/12 | 19 | 382 | 382 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [12] Gracilisuchus stipanicicorum Last Modified in 09/23/12 | 102 | 302 | 302 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [13] Turfanosuchus dabanensis Last Modified in 09/23/12 | 145 | 261 | 259 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [14] Ornithosuchus longidens Last Modified in 09/23/12 | 133 | 273 | 273 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [15] Riojasuchus tenuisceps Last Modified in 09/23/12 | 52 | 352 | 352 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [16] Revueltosaurus callenderi Last Modified in 09/23/12 | 29 | 377 | 377 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [17] Aetosaurus ferratus Last Modified in 09/23/12 | 146 | 266 | 265 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [18] Stagonolepis robertsoni Last Modified in 09/23/12 | 95 | 314 | 313 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [19] Longosuchus meadei Last Modified in 09/23/12 | 61 | 345 | 334 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [20] Ticinosuchus ferox Last Modified in 09/23/12 | 208 | 201 | 196 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [21] Qianosuchus mixtus Last Modified in 09/23/12 | 128 | 282 | 282 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [22] Xilousuchus sapingensis Last Modified in 09/23/12 | 296 | 117 | 116 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [23] Arizonasaurus babbitti Last Modified in 09/23/12 | 149 | 252 | 250 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [24] Poposaurus gracilis holotype Last Modified in 09/23/12 | 374 | 38 | 37 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [25] Poposaurus gracilis yale Last Modified in 09/23/12 | 186 | 214 | 208 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [26] Lotosaurus adentus Last Modified in 09/23/12 | 73 | 310 | 310 | 0 | 30 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [27] Sillosuchus longicervix Last Modified in 09/23/12 | 324 | 79 | 79 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [28] Effigia okeeffeae Last Modified in 09/23/12 | 69 | 315 | 315 | 0 | 29 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [29] Shuvosaurus inexpectatus Last Modified in 09/23/12 | 76 | 308 | 308 | 0 | 29 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [30] Combined prestosuchus Last Modified in 09/23/12 | 56 | 353 | 353 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [31] Saurosuchus galilei Last Modified in 09/23/12 | 103 | 308 | 303 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [32] Batrachotomus kuperferzellensis Last Modified in 09/23/12 | 62 | 350 | 346 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [33] Fasolasuchus tenax Last Modified in 09/23/12 | 250 | 161 | 161 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [34] Rauisuchus triradentes Last Modified in 09/23/12 | 281 | 132 | 132 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [35] Polonosuchus silesiacus Last Modified in 09/23/12 | 295 | 118 | 118 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [36] Postosuchus kirkpatricki Last Modified in 09/23/12 | 72 | 337 | 337 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [37] Postosuchus alisonae Last Modified in 09/23/12 | 242 | 169 | 168 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [38] CM 73372 Last Modified in 09/23/12 | 248 | 161 | 160 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [39] Hesperosuchus agilis Last Modified in 09/23/12 | 195 | 215 | 214 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [40] Dromicosuchus grallator Last Modified in 09/23/12 | 139 | 270 | 269 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [41] Hesperosuchus "agilis" Last Modified in 09/23/12 | 120 | 288 | 288 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [42] Dibothrosuchus elaphros Last Modified in 09/23/12 | 189 | 218 | 218 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [43] Terrestrisuchus gracilis Last Modified in 09/23/12 | 88 | 317 | 317 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [44] Sphenosuchus acutus Last Modified in 09/23/12 | 192 | 216 | 215 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [45] Litargosuchus leptorhynchus Last Modified in 09/23/12 | 220 | 190 | 189 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [46] Kayentasuchus walkeri Last Modified in 09/23/12 | 305 | 106 | 106 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [47] Orthosuchus stormbergi Last Modified in 09/23/12 | 78 | 321 | 321 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [48] Alligator mississippiensis Last Modified in 09/23/12 | 4 | 370 | 367 | 0 | 41 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [49] Protosuchus haughtoni Last Modified in 09/23/12 | 250 | 158 | 158 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [50] Protosuchus richardsoni Last Modified in 09/23/12 | 41 | 360 | 360 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [51] Eudimorphodon ranzii Last Modified in 09/23/12 | 187 | 191 | 191 | 0 | 35 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [52] Dimorphodon macronyx Last Modified in 09/23/12 | 177 | 201 | 201 | 0 | 35 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [53] Lagerpeton chanarensis Last Modified in 09/23/12 | 260 | 133 | 133 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [54] Dromomeron gregorii Last Modified in 09/23/12 | 370 | 42 | 42 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [55] Dromomeron romeri Last Modified in 09/23/12 | 332 | 61 | 61 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [56] Marasuchus lilloensis Last Modified in 09/23/12 | 194 | 203 | 203 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [57] Asilisaurus kongwe Last Modified in 09/23/12 | 222 | 175 | 175 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [58] Eucoelophysis baldwini Last Modified in 09/23/12 | 387 | 26 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [59] Sacisaurus agudoensis Last Modified in 09/23/12 | 318 | 91 | 91 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [60] Lewisuchus admixtus Last Modified in 09/23/12 | 273 | 130 | 130 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [61] Pseudolagosuchus majori Last Modified in 09/23/12 | 301 | 95 | 95 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [62] Lewisuchus/Pseudolagosuchus Last Modified in 09/23/12 | 187 | 224 | 224 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [63] Eocursor parvus Last Modified in 09/23/12 | 259 | 141 | 141 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [64] Silesaurus opolensis Last Modified in 09/23/12 | 56 | 334 | 332 | 0 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [65] Pisanosaurus mertii Last Modified in 09/23/12 | 308 | 88 | 88 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [66] Heterodontosaurus tucki Last Modified in 09/23/12 | 44 | 343 | 341 | 0 | 28 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [67] Lesothosaurus diagnosticus Last Modified in 09/23/12 | 59 | 329 | 328 | 0 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [68] Scutellosaurus lawleri Last Modified in 09/23/12 | 229 | 169 | 166 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [69] Herrerasaurus ischigualastensis Last Modified in 09/23/12 | 47 | 343 | 340 | 0 | 23 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [70] Staurikosaurus pricei Last Modified in 09/23/12 | 285 | 115 | 115 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [71] Eoraptor lunensis Last Modified in 09/23/12 | 108 | 283 | 276 | 0 | 23 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [72] Saturnalia tupiniquim Last Modified in 09/23/12 | 199 | 193 | 193 | 0 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [73] Plateosaurus engelhardti Last Modified in 09/23/12 | 6 | 383 | 381 | 0 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [74] Efraasia minor Last Modified in 09/23/12 | 68 | 319 | 319 | 0 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [75] Tawa hallae Last Modified in 09/23/12 | 45 | 344 | 344 | 0 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [76] Coelophysis bauri Last Modified in 09/23/12 | 31 | 361 | 361 | 0 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [77] Dilophosaurus wetherelli Last Modified in 09/23/12 | 53 | 337 | 335 | 0 | 23 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [78] Allosaurus fragilis Last Modified in 09/23/12 | 11 | 372 | 372 | 0 | 30 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [79] Velociraptor mongoliensis Last Modified in 09/23/12 | 44 | 336 | 335 | 0 | 34 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [80] †Nyasasaurus parringtoni nhmuk (holotype) Last Modified in 12/04/12 | 399 | 14 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [81] Nyasasaurus parringtoni sam (referred) Last Modified in 12/04/12 | 403 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| [82] Nyasasaurus parringtoni combined (holotype + referred) Last Modified in 12/04/12 | 390 | 23 | 23 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
Project views
| type | number of views | Individual items viewed (where applicable) |
| Total project views | 6589 | |
| Project overview | 946 | |
| Media views | 2854 | Media search (893 views); M128711 (88 views); M67962 (101 views); M128714 (88 views); M68022 (61 views); M68025 (64 views); M68008 (87 views); M68023 (73 views); M149577 (123 views); M68021 (66 views); M68006 (79 views); M128709 (315 views); M128710 (78 views); M128713 (96 views); M128712 (91 views); M68007 (90 views); M68024 (64 views); M68003 (88 views); M68005 (101 views); M128708 (91 views); M68004 (67 views); M149578 (50 views); |
| Taxon list | 1235 | |
| Matrix views | 207 | Matrix landing page (191 views); The relationships of Nyasasaurus (16 views); |
| Specimen list | 408 | |
| Folio views | 412 | Folio list (185 views); NHMUK R6856 Osteology (73 views); NHMUK R6856 Histology (97 views); SAM-PK-K10654 Osteology (57 views); |
| Views for media list | 344 | |
| Documents list | 183 |
Project downloads
| type | number of downloads | Individual items downloaded (where applicable) |
| Total downloads from project | 605 | |
| Matrix downloads | 8 | The relationships of Nyasasaurus (8 downloads); |
| Media downloads | 539 | M128711 (32 downloads); M128713 (29 downloads); M128712 (25 downloads); M68025 (23 downloads); M68006 (20 downloads); M68003 (28 downloads); M68021 (24 downloads); M68007 (23 downloads); M68023 (26 downloads); M149577 (28 downloads); M68022 (25 downloads); M128710 (27 downloads); M68004 (24 downloads); M68008 (22 downloads); M128709 (26 downloads); M128714 (29 downloads); M128708 (33 downloads); M68005 (30 downloads); M68024 (26 downloads); M67962 (24 downloads); M149578 (15 downloads); |
| Project downloads | 46 | |
| Document downloads | 12 | Nyasasaurus final (12 downloads); |