Dinosauromorphs facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Dinosauromorphs |
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| Reconstructed skeleton of a Lagosuchus talampayensis | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Clade: | Ornithodira |
| Clade: | Dinosauromorpha Benton, 1984 |
| Subgroups | |
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†Lagerpetidae |
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Dinosauromorphs are a special group of ancient reptiles. They include all dinosaurs, and also some of their closest relatives. Guess what? Birds are the only Dinosauromorphs still alive today! This means birds are actually modern-day dinosaurs.
What are Dinosauromorphs?
Dinosauromorphs belong to a larger group of reptiles called archosaurs. Archosaurs are a big family that includes crocodiles, alligators, and many extinct animals like dinosaurs and pterosaurs. Dinosauromorphs are special because they are the group that eventually led to the mighty dinosaurs we know.
The name "Dinosauromorpha" was first used by a scientist named Michael J. Benton in 1984. Scientists use these names to help group animals together. This helps them understand how different creatures are related to each other.
How Scientists Define Dinosauromorphs
Scientists use special definitions to group animals. These definitions help them decide which animals belong to a certain group. For Dinosauromorphs, one definition was made by Paul Sereno in 1991.
He said Dinosauromorphs include the last common ancestor of certain early reptiles. These early reptiles were Lagerpeton chanarensis, Marasuchus lilloensis, and Pseudolagosuchus major. The group also includes all dinosaurs, even birds. All the animals that came from this common ancestor are Dinosauromorphs.
This way of defining groups helps scientists study how life on Earth changed over millions of years. It shows us the family tree of dinosaurs and their relatives.
Images for kids
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Pelvis of Marasuchus
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Skeletal diagram of Ixalerpeton
See also
In Spanish: Dinosauromorpha para niños
