What's Happening?
A team of researchers, co-led by Peter Makovicky from the University of Minnesota and Sebastian Apesteguía from Argentina, has uncovered a 90-million-year-old fossil of a dinosaur species named Alnashetri cerropoliciensis. This discovery, published in Nature,
provides significant insights into the evolution of alvarezsaurs, a group of bird-like dinosaurs known for their unique anatomical features such as tiny teeth and single-clawed arms. The fossil, found in Patagonia, Argentina, is nearly complete and offers a clearer understanding of the evolutionary path of these dinosaurs, which were previously known mostly from fragmented remains. The study reveals that alvarezsaurs became small before developing their specialized features, challenging previous assumptions about their evolutionary timeline.
Why It's Important?
This discovery is crucial as it fills a significant gap in the understanding of dinosaur evolution, particularly for the alvarezsaurs. By providing a more complete fossil, researchers can better map the evolutionary transitions in anatomy and body size of these dinosaurs. The findings suggest that alvarezsaurs originated earlier than previously thought, during the time when continents were still connected as Pangaea. This has implications for understanding the distribution and adaptation of species as the continents drifted apart. The research also highlights the importance of the La Buitrera fossil area in Argentina, which continues to yield significant paleontological discoveries.
What's Next?
The research team plans to continue their work in the La Buitrera fossil area, where they have already found additional fossils that could further illuminate the evolutionary history of alvarezsaurs. These new findings are currently being prepared for study. The ongoing research in this region is expected to provide more insights into the diversity and adaptation of small dinosaurs and other vertebrates in South America.
