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Hans India
15-05-2025
- Science
- Hans India
New Dinosaur Species Maleriraptor kuttyi Discovered in India Sheds Light on Triassic Evolution
A new species of dinosaur, Maleriraptor kuttyi, has been identified in the Upper Maleri Formation of south-central India, offering fresh insights into the early evolution of carnivorous dinosaurs. This remarkable discovery, described in a study published in the journal Royal Society Open Science, highlights the species' role in filling a temporal gap in the fossil record, bridging the South American herrerasaurids with their younger North American counterparts. Maleriraptor kuttyi lived during the Norian stage of the Triassic period, around 220 million years ago, challenging previous assumptions about the distribution of herrerasaurs. The Discovery of Maleriraptor kuttyi The fossilized remains of Maleriraptor kuttyi were found over 40 years ago in Pranhita-Godavari Valley, about 1 km south of Annaram village, India. This discovery is particularly significant as the Upper Maleri Formation represents a critical period in the early evolution of dinosaurs, just slightly younger than the first Carnian radiation of dinosaurs. The fossils offer evidence that herrerasaurs, a group of early predatory dinosaurs, managed to survive in Gondwana during the early Norian, a period marked by the extinction of rhynchosaurs, a group of herbivorous reptiles. The presence of herrerasaurs in India, but not South America during this period, may be linked to the paleoclimate of India, which had environmental conditions more similar to those in southern North America. This suggests that climatic factors may have played a role in the survival and distribution of different dinosaur species across the supercontinent of Pangaea. The Role of Herrerasaurians in Dinosaur Evolution Herrerasaurians represent some of the oldest predatory dinosaurs, and their discovery helps fill a significant gap in our understanding of dinosaur evolution. As Dr. Martín Ezcurra from the Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales notes, 'Herrerasaurs represent the oldest radiation of predatory dinosaurs.' These dinosaurs appeared in the fossil record around 228 million years ago and became extinct by the end of the Triassic period. Until recently, the fossil record of herrerasaurs was largely confined to the Ischigualasto Formation in northwestern Argentina and the Candelária sequence in southern Brazil. These regions contain fossils of bipedal carnivores that ranged in size from 1.2 to 6 meters (3.9 to 19.7 feet). The discovery of Maleriraptor kuttyi extends the range of herrerasaurs, providing new evidence that these early dinosaurs were more widespread than previously thought, surviving in Gondwana during a period when their South American counterparts were beginning to fade out. A Climatic Puzzle: Why India Hosts Early Herrerasaurians The presence of herrerasaurs in India during the early Norian provides a valuable clue into the paleoclimate of the time. While these dinosaurs were previously known to exist only in South America during the Triassic, the climatic conditions of India during the Norian may explain the species' survival. As the study highlights, global paleoclimatic reconstructions suggest that India during this period had mean annual temperatures and precipitation patterns more akin to those of southern North America than to South America. The similarity in climate between India and parts of North America during the early Norian could help explain why certain dinosaur species, like herrerasaurs, were able to thrive in India while disappearing from South America. This new information about the paleoclimate of India and its influence on prehistoric faunas could reshape how we think about the spread and survival of species in the ancient world. The Legacy of Herrerasaurians in Triassic Ecosystems The study of Maleriraptor kuttyi and other herrerasaurs reveals the intricate web of interactions that shaped the ecosystems of the Triassic period. These dinosaurs played a key role in the development of predatory dinosaur lineages, marking the earliest stages of carnivorous dinosaurs. Herrerasaurus ischigualastensis, in particular, was the most abundant species in the Ischigualasto Formation, thriving in the early Carnian period. The discovery of Maleriraptor kuttyi shows that these early predators were not confined to South America but were also present in Gondwana, suggesting that early dinosaur ecosystems were far more diverse and widespread than previously understood. This finding highlights the importance of the Upper Maleri Formation as a key site for understanding the early diversification of Triassic dinosaurs.
Time of India
15-05-2025
- Science
- Time of India
Dinosaur that lived 220 million years ago, Maleriraptor kuttyi, discovered in India; revealing insights into prehistoric Earth
When a group of ancient bones were discovered in India many decades ago, few might have imagined how important they would prove to understanding . The small meat-eating dinosaur, Maleriraptor kuttyi, which lived 220 million years ago, is now providing crucial insights into how some of Earth's earliest dinosaurs survived and proliferated. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Its existence defies earlier theories regarding the extent and adaptability of early predatory organisms, particularly in the aftermath of mass extinctions, and underscores the role of geography and climate in controlling the distribution of these ancient beings. New dinosaur fossil discovery in India identifies Maleriraptor kuttyi as a Triassic-era survivour Maleriraptor kuttyi filled the Norian stage of the Late Triassic, a time when there was extreme ecological disturbance. The animal is now confirmed to be a member of Herrerasauria, one of the earliest groups of predatory dinosaurs known to have existed. Most notably, perhaps, the find constitutes the first definite presence of a species of herrerrasaur to survive one of the era's great mass extinctions during the Triassic period. This extinction event eliminated many tens of species of herbivores, among them the ubiquitous rhynchosaurs. Maleriraptor surviving this cataclysm speaks to its enormous ecological resilience and positions it as a vital component in the research into how some lineages survived the disasters and others did not. This discovery was reported in the journal Royal Society Open Science. Maleriraptor kuttyi discovery in India confirms herrerasaur existed beyond South America Prior to this study, only four herrerasaur species had been officially documented — all South American, from Brazil and Argentina. They were all slightly earlier, ranging between 233 and 229 million years ago, and measuring between 4 and 20 feet long. Like Maleriraptor, they too were bipedal hunters, equipped for speed and agility. Dr. Martín Ezcurra, also of the Bernardino Rivadavia Argentine Museum of Natural Sciences, the University of Birmingham, and the National Scientific and Technical Research Council of Argentina, emphasised the importance of this discovery in expanding the herrerasaur's distribution. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Earlier, there had been suggestions of their presence outside South America — Chindesaurus bryansmalli of North America's Chinle Formation, for example — but the Indian one is firmer evidence. Maleriraptor kuttyi fossils reveal climate's role in species distribution Fossils of Maleriraptor kuttyi were initially discovered in the 1980s in the Pranhita-Godavari Valley of south-central India, near the village of Annaram. The region includes fossiliferous Norian-age beds — roughly a bit younger than the Carnian, during which the first dramatic diversification of dinosaurs occurred. Scientists speculate that during the Norian, the paleoclimate of India was much like that of southern North America. Climate similarity can be the explanation for the simultaneous development of some of the species within the two territories, such as phytosaurs, malerisaurine allokotosaurs, and now herrerasaurs. These species are absent, however, from the fossil record of southern South America, which suggests that geography and climate were a significant predictor of species distribution. Also Read |
