Is phytosaur a dinosaur?
phytosaur, heavily armoured semiaquatic reptiles found as fossils from the Late Triassic Period (about 229 million to 200 million years ago). Phytosaurs were not dinosaurs; rather both groups were archosaurs, a larger grouping that also includes crocodiles and pterosaurs (flying reptiles).
What did the phytosaur evolve from?
Some recent studies of the evolutionary relationships of early archosauriforms suggest that phytosaurs evolved before the split between crocodile- and bird-line archosaurs and are the sister taxon of Archosauria.
What kind of fossils were found in Africa?
Africa has a rich fossil record, but it is patchy and incomplete. It is rich in Triassic and Early Jurassic dinosaurs. African dinosaurs from these time periods include Coelophysis, Dracovenator, Melanorosaurus, Massospondylus, Euskelosaurus, Heterodontosaurus, Abrictosaurus, and Lesothosaurus.
What environment did the Phytosaur live in?
Back in the Triassic – the first act of Earth’s Mesozoic epic – phytosaurs were armored, long-jawed, snaggletoothed ambush predators that proliferated through freshwater lakes and rivers. They perfected the semiaquatic lifestyle now enjoyed by gharials, alligators, and crocodiles, albeit with a few differences.
Why did the Phytosaur go extinct?
Phytosaurs, which had many of the same adaptations as crocodiles, went extinct at the end of the Triassic. Jennifer’s data on fossil stomata supported the hypothesis that global warming played a role in the end-Triassic mass extinction.
Was the Phytosaur a predator?
Phytosaurs look like modern crocodiles, but are not related. They were 15-17 feet long with a long tail and short, stout legs. With bony plates for body protection and sharp teeth, they were successful predators on land and in water.
Did dinosaurs live in China?
This list does not include dinosaurs that live or lived after the Mesozoic era such as birds….List of Asian dinosaurs.
| Name | Caudipteryx |
|---|---|
| Period | Cretaceous |
| Diet | omnivore |
| Country | China |
| Notes | A very bird-like dinosaur. |
What’s the oldest human fossil found?
The oldest reliably classified fossils belonging to the genus Homo date back to a little over 2 million years ago. They belong to H. habilis, a type of ancient hominin that scientists classify as the first of our genus, and which may have led to H. erectus, one of our direct ancestors.
When did Phytosaur go extinct?
about 201 million years ago
The phytosaurs are long gone. They did not survive the mass extinction that dramatically altered life on Earth at the end of the Triassic, about 201 million years ago.
Where are the fossils of the phytosaur found?
The nostrils in the phytosaurs were set on a crest high on the skull in front of the eyes; this adaptation allowed them to float just underneath the water’s surface, with only the nostrils protruding above it. Phytosaur fossils occur in North America, Europe, and India, but their remains have not been found in the southern continents.
What kind of reptile is a phytosaur?
Phytosaur, heavily armoured semiaquatic reptiles found as fossils from the Late Triassic Period (about 229 million to 200 million years ago).
What was the skull pattern of the phytosaur?
The phytosaur skull was characterized by three distinct morphotypes, which relate to feeding and habits and not (as was once thought) evolutionary relationships. These skull patterns are linked to characteristics of the dentition; specifically the differentiation or similarity of the teeth along the jaws.
How big was a phytosaur during the Triassic period?
Phytosaurs – family Phytosauridae or Parasuchidae – were a group of large (2 to 12 meters long – average size 3 to 4 meters) semi-aquatic predatory archosaurs that flourished during the Late Triassic period.