New Theory by Scientists on the Origin of Dinosaurs

Dinosaurs dominated terrestrial ecosystems for a long time, with various types including giant herbivores like Argentinosaurus, carnivorous animals like Tyrannosaurus, and peculiar species like Therizinosaurus, which had long, sharp claws. However, the exact time and place of the emergence of dinosaurs is not clearly defined. Now, scientists, by examining the oldest discovered dinosaur fossils, their locations, and the evolutionary relationships between early species and the geography of Earth during the Triassic period, propose a remarkable location as the origin of dinosaurs. Results from a new study suggest that early dinosaurs likely evolved millions of years ago in an area that is now the Sahara Desert and the Amazon rainforest. This area, located in the Sahara Desert and the Amazon rainforest, was separated by a geological process known as 'plate tectonics' and is currently located on opposite sides of the ocean. Joel Heath, a PhD student in paleontology at University College London and the Natural History Museum in London, is the lead author of this paper published on January 24 in the journal 'Current Biology'. He states that the first discovered fossils indicate that dinosaurs existed during the 'Pangaea' era when all continents were part of a supercontinent and inhabited the southern part of this land known as 'Gondwana'. According to Heath, studies suggest that they likely evolved in the low-latitude regions of Gondwana near the equator, an area that today includes northern South America and northern Africa. The oldest known dinosaur fossils date back about 230 million years and were discovered in Argentina, Brazil, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe. While certain characteristics that define them as dinosaurs were common, there were significant differences that indicate the evolution of dinosaurs occurred millions of years ago. Based on the location of the first dinosaur fossils, past research had focused on southern South America and southern Africa as the origin of dinosaurs. However, Heath suggests that the Sahara Desert or the Amazon rainforest could be the birthplace of the first dinosaurs that evolved over millions of years. He states that dinosaurs likely emerged between 245 and 230 million years ago when these areas were very warm and dry tropical regions. Heath noted that this area likely included deserts, dry habitats, and forested areas prone to seasonal wildfires. Previously, it was believed that dinosaurs did not live in warm and dry climates. Dinosaurs evolved from more primitive animals following the largest mass extinction event on Earth caused by severe volcanic activity at the end of the Permian period around 252 million years ago.