Origin of Dinosaurs
Dinosaurs, including plant-eating giants like Argentinosaurus and meat-eating ones like Tyrannosaurus, once dominated Earth's land ecosystems.
The exact origin of dinosaurs is still unclear, especially regarding when and where they first appeared.
New research suggests dinosaurs likely originated in the low-latitude regions of the supercontinent Gondwana.
This area includes modern-day northern South America (Amazon region) and northern Africa (Sahara desert).
Geological Context
During the Triassic Period (around 245-230 million years ago), all continents were part of Pangaea, and dinosaurs emerged in its southern portion, Gondwana.
The regions where they likely originated were close to the equator and had hot, dry climates, including deserts, savannahs, and possibly forested areas with seasonal wildfires.
Early Dinosaur Fossils
The earliest-known dinosaur fossils date to roughly 230 million years ago, such as Eoraptor, Herrerasaurus, Saturnalia, and Mbiresaurus.
These fossils show differences, indicating that dinosaur evolution had already been underway for millions of years.
Challenges & Evolution
Fossils from this period are rare due to preservation challenges and the remote, difficult terrain of the Sahara and Amazon.
Dinosaurs evolved after the Permian mass extinction, which occurred 252 million years ago due to extreme volcanism.
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