scientists uproot dinosaur family tree
Last Updated : GMT 09:40:38
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle
Last Updated : GMT 09:40:38
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle

By the shape of its pelvis

Scientists uproot dinosaur family tree

Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle

Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicleScientists uproot dinosaur family tree

A new dinosaur evolutionary tree, published in the journal Nature
Paris - Arab Today

For 130 years, dinosaurs have been classified as either bird- or reptile-hipped -- the first and all-important split in the trunk of an intricate family tree.

On Wednesday, a "revolutionary" study threatened to upend what has long been taken as gospel by preschoolers and palaeontologists alike -- that a dinosaur's evolutionary history can be determined by the shape of its pelvis.

"Our study overturns 130 years of dogma," said study co-author Paul Barrett of London's Natural History Museum.

"Our analysis suggests that animals like T. rex were actually more closely related to Stegosaurus" -- dinos once thought to be firmly on either side of the hip divide.

A new dinosaur evolutionary tree, published in the journal Nature, proposes two new base groups, in which bird- and reptile-hipped lizards are now mixed.

It also suggests that dinosaurs arose around 247 million years ago -- some 10 million years earlier than thought -- and in the northern hemisphere rather than the south.

Barrett and a team examined a large sample of features of very early dinosaurs to learn more about the original, common ancestor and its first offshoots.

The first dinosaur, they concluded, was likely a small omnivore that walked on its hind legs and had grasping hands. These aspects have been the subject of much scientific debate.

But the most controversial finding concerns what happened next.

Dinosaurs split into two main groups, but quite unlike those assumed until now, said the team.

- Birds find a home -

Since the Victorian era, dinosaurs have been split into two categories: The bird-hipped (Ornithischia) and reptile-hipped (Saurischia).

The Saurischia group was sub-divided into bipedal carnivores called theropods, which included the likes of Tyrannosaurus Rex and Velociraptor, and the massive, long-necked sauropods such as Brontosaurus.

But under the new classification, bird-hipped dinos such as the three-horned Triceratops and armoured Stegosaurus no longer comprise one of the two basal categories.  

Instead, they are sub-divided into a completely new category, called Ornithoscelida, along with theropods which were removed from under the reptile-hipped Saurischia.

"We have... pulled Theropods out, but the old Saurischia limps on," as one of the two foundational categories, the study's lead author Matthew Baron from the University of Cambridge told AFP.

The new Ornithoscelida category, he proposed, can be described as "bird-limbed". Its members share common hind-limb as well as skull features.

"We propose that the dinosaur family tree actually looks very different from the version that has been accepted by scientists for the last 130 years," said Baron.

For the first time, the ancestors of modern birds, reptile-hipped theropods, are grouped with bird-hipped dinosaurs into a single category.

If the conclusions are correct, said Baron's colleague David Norman, "All the major textbooks covering the topic of the evolution of the vertebrates will need to be re-written."

In a comment on the study, also published by Nature, Kevin Padian of the University of California described its conclusions as "revolutionary".

"It will be interesting to see how palaeontologists receive this original and provocative reassessment of dinosaur origins and relationships," he wrote.

Baron said he looked forward to the debate.

"We expect people in our field to test and retest our hypothesis and seek out new specimens and new data that may prove or disprove what we are proposing," he said by email.

"This is by no means the last word on the subject."

A video explaining the findings can be found here: 

https://youtu.be/BRlktNwTRjE

themuslimchronicle
themuslimchronicle

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

scientists uproot dinosaur family tree scientists uproot dinosaur family tree

 



Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle

GMT 12:33 2017 Thursday ,20 April

Premier congratulated by Sudanese Ambassador

GMT 21:47 2017 Tuesday ,31 October

January 19 - February 17

GMT 12:17 2011 Wednesday ,27 July

N. Korea calls for peace treaty with U.S.

GMT 13:34 2012 Sunday ,29 July

Palestinian intellectual passes away

GMT 15:58 2014 Tuesday ,27 May

How to heal bones

GMT 20:40 2014 Sunday ,12 October

No plan to lift fuel, butane gas subsidies

GMT 08:29 2016 Saturday ,27 August

Turkey PM denies Syria operation singling out Kurds

GMT 14:09 2017 Wednesday ,13 September

WADA 'to clear 95 Russian athletes of doping charges'

GMT 14:59 2017 Monday ,04 September

We will not allow Iran to have a foothold in Yemen

GMT 20:17 2017 Friday ,17 March

Merkel to Meet Putin in Moscow on May 2

GMT 13:40 2011 Saturday ,25 June

Explosions rock Myanmar\'s capital city

GMT 09:12 2013 Saturday ,16 February

Dina Abdel Fattah: Promoting Egypt\'s activists

GMT 18:06 2017 Saturday ,02 September

Libya’s Sarraj appoints new military chief of staff

GMT 09:09 2016 Monday ,22 August

'Marvellous' Rio flames out

GMT 14:35 2017 Saturday ,28 October

South Sudanese president to visit Sudan

GMT 12:24 2017 Tuesday ,06 June

The online battle for General Election votes

GMT 03:33 2017 Saturday ,18 February

Mexican drug kingpin 'El Chapo' extradited to US
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle
 
 Themuslimchronicle Facebook,themuslimchronicle facebook  Themuslimchronicle Twitter,themuslimchronicle twitter Themuslimchronicle Rss,themuslimchronicle rss  Themuslimchronicle Youtube,themuslimchronicle youtube  Themuslimchronicle Youtube,themuslimchronicle youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2023 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2023 ©

muslimchronicle muslimchronicle muslimchronicle muslimchronicle
themuslimchronicle themuslimchronicle themuslimchronicle
themuslimchronicle
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle