This ancient creature, called Gondwanax paraisensis, is classified as a silesaurid, a group of reptiles that predated dinosaurs by millions of years.
However, scientists are divided on whether siliciosaurs were actually true dinosaurs due to their combination of dinosaur-like characteristics and primitive traits.
According to paleontologists, Gondwanax paraisensis was about one meter long and weighed between three and six kilograms.
It is possible that this species moved on four legs on land, but its diet remains a mystery, as no teeth or skull remains were found.
Dr Rodrigo Tempmüller from the Federal University of Santa Maria in Brazil commented: “Discoveries over the past decade have allowed us to completely reconstruct the skeletons of the oldest dinosaurs. Now, we face an even greater challenge in understanding the anatomy of pre-existing dinosaurs. “Fortunately, new discoveries, such as Gondwanax paraisensis, have helped us address this question.”
He pointed out that the newly discovered species had a pelvis and legs with many specialized skeletons, which indicates “advanced locomotion ability” compared to other reptiles that lived alongside it.
The remains, which are causing a stir in the scientific community, were discovered in the municipality of Paraiso do Sul by Pedro Aurelio.
After it was excavated, the fossil was placed in the Paleontology Research Center at the University of Florida Sul, where Dr. Mueller studied it.
“The remains were covered with a thick layer of rock,” Mueller detailed. Dr. Muller used acid and air hammers to carefully free the fossil from its stone prison, revealing, after days of work, the skeleton of a mysterious reptile.
He added: “Details of the fossilized skeleton indicate that the material belongs to an animal of the dinosaur lineage, perhaps a real dinosaur or a very close relative.” About 237 million years old, it is one of the oldest fossils of this lineage ever discovered. Based on the dimensions of the preserved elements, it is estimated that Gondwanax paraisensis would have been about one meter long. Since no teeth or other cranial elements were found, it was not possible to infer its eating habits. However, most related animals were herbivores or omnivores, making it likely that they also had a similar diet.”
Dr Müller said: “The femur lacks one of the main crests for muscle attachment common in dinosaurs. In contrast, the sacrum—the area connecting the pelvis to the spine—appears to be very advanced, containing more vertebrae than other related siliceaurids. “This unusual combination of features may indicate that Gondwanax paraisensis moved differently from other dinosaur ancestors.”
Evidence suggests that the ancestors of dinosaurs and reptiles were more diverse than previously imagined.
Siliceaurids lived for 30 million years, but Gondwanax paraisensi is the oldest example ever found, and is a new species within this fascinating family.
“On the other hand, although fossils of dinosaur ancestors are essential to understanding the origins of this group, they are still extremely rare.
Source: Daily Star
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