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'Agile' predecessor to dinosaurs dating back 237 million years discovered in Brazil

Gondwanax paraisensis is a silesaurid, an extinct group of reptiles that lived millions of years before dinosaurs roamed Earth, and is a new species of the group

[Gondwanax paraisensis]

Illustrations of Gondwanax paraisensis in a Triassic Landscape(Image: No credit)

A previously unknown ancestor of the dinosaurs, dating back 237 million years, has been unearthed in Brazil. This ancient creature, named Gondwanax paraisensis, is classified as a "silesaurid", a group of reptiles that predated the dinosaurs by millions of years.

However, researchers are divided on whether silesaurids were, in fact, true dinosaurs due to their mix of dinosaur-like characteristics and primitive features. According to palaeontologists, Gondwanax paraisensis measured approximately one metre in length and weighed between three and six kilos.

It likely moved on all fours on land, but its diet remains a mystery as no teeth or skull remains have been found. Dr. Rodrigo Temp Muller of the Federal University of Santa Maria in Brazil commented: "Discoveries over the past decade have allowed us to completely reconstruct the skeletons of the earliest dinosaurs.

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[Gondwanax paraisensis ]

Gondwanax paraisensis was an "agile and lightweight" predecessor to the dinosaurs(Image: No credit)

"Now, we face an even greater challenge: understanding the anatomy of the forms that existed before these dinosaurs.

"Fortunately, new finds, such as Gondwanax paraisensis, have been helping us to address this question."

He noted that the newly discovered species had a pelvis and legs with many specialised bony structures, indicating an "advanced locomotor capability" compared to other reptiles that lived alongside it.

Dr Muller exclaimed: "The gracile structure of its vertebrae suggests it was an agile and lightweight animal."

The remains, which are causing a stir in the scientific community, were uncovered in the municipality of Paraiso do Sul by fossil enthusiast Pedro Aurelio.

[Paleontologist Rodrigo Temp Mller ]

Paleontologist Rodrigo Temp Muller with fossils of Gondwanax paraisensis(Image: No credit)

These grounds have previously turned up mammalian forerunners like cynodonts, dicynodonts, and even Parvosuchus aurelioi, a nifty little crocodile.

After being unearthed, the remnants found their new home at the Palaeontology Research Centre at UFSM, where the dedicated Dr. Muller undertook the painstaking prep and study of the specimen.

Muller detailed: "The remains were covered by a thick layer of rock."

On first inspection, it seemed only parts of the vertebrae wanted to make their debut.

Dr Muller used acid and pneumatic hammers, meticulously freeing the fossil from its stony prison.

Days of work culminated in the reveal of a mystery reptile's bone structure that had never seen the light of day.

Dr Muller didn't hold back his admiration, noting: "This discovery is attributed to Pedro Aurelio's deep enthusiasm for prospecting and his love for fossils."

[Paleontologists]

Paleontologists of the UFSM during fieldwork in Paraso do Sul-RS (Image: No credit)

The ever-curious Mr. Aurelio, on finding something not quite right with the soil, collected the intriguing bits and pieces and generously handed them over to the research gurus.

Muller recalled: "While organising the materials donated by Mr. Aurelio, a femur caught my attention."

As he dug deeper into the treasure trove, he found hints all too familiar to those well-versed in silasauridsit was nothing short of incredible.

He concluded with enthusiasm: "The details of the fossilised skeleton suggest that the material belongs to an animal from the dinosaur lineage, possibly an actual dinosaur or a very close relative.

"At approximately 237 million-years-old, this is one of the oldest fossils from this lineage ever discovered.

"Based on the dimensions of the preserved elements, it is estimated that Gondwanax paraisensis would have reached about one metre in length.

"Since no teeth or other cranial elements were recovered, it was not possible to infer its dietary habits.

"Nevertheless, most related animals were herbivorous or omnivorous, making it likely that it also had a similar diet."

He clarified that "Gondwanax" means "lord of Gondwana" - referring to the future dominance that dinosaurs would have in the landmass known as Gondwana, the southern region of the supercontinent Pangaea, while "paraisensis" pays tribute to the municipality of Paraiso do Sul.

Dr Muller stated: "The femur lacks one of the key crests for muscle attachment that is common in dinosaurs.

"In contrast, its sacrum - the region connecting the pelvis to the spine - appears quite advanced, as it has more vertebrae than other close related silesaurids.

"This unusual combination of features may indicate that Gondwanax paraisensis moved differently from other dinosaur precursors.

"The rise of dinosaurs remains a challenging topic to investigate, especially due to the scarcity of fossils from their precursors.

"Brazil is internationally recognised for housing some of the most complete and well-preserved fossils of the oldest dinosaurs in the world, approximately 230 million years old.

"On the other hand, while essential for understanding the origins of this group, fossils of dinosaur precursors are still very rare.

"Understanding the characteristics of these precursors could shed light on what was crucial for the dinosaurs' evolutionary success.

"In recent years, discoveries of this type have been reported from fossil layers about 237 million years old in Brazil.

"However, these fossils are usually fragmentary and not very informative."

He further stated: "This finding demonstrates that, in addition to preserving some of the world's dinosaurs, Brazil also harbours fossils of the reptiles that marked the beginning of the evolutionary history of dinosaurs, revealing previously unknown details of this journey that transformed terrestrial ecosystems during the Mesozoic Era."

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