Agility and adaptability: keys to early dinosaurs' evolutionary triumph, Bristol study finds

The scientists juxtaposed the limb dimensions of numerous reptilian species from the Triassic era, from 252 million to 201 million years ago. Dinosaurs made their first appearance during this period. The findings suggest that not only were the earliest dinosaurs and their direct ancestors bipedal but they were also designed for running. Additionally, it turns out that dinosaurs possessed a much more varied array of running styles than some of their rivals, making them evolutionary and adaptable.

A climatic disaster approximately 233 million years ago saw dinosaurs standing tall against their rivals after being present for about 20 million years. The climate turned arid, and the availability of food was reduced. Dinosaurs saw this calamity as an opportunity for global domination. Conversely, the precursors of crocodiles did not manage to disperse as widely or as dynamically.

Tom Stubbs, a participant researcher in the study, comments that even though we frequently envisage dinosaurs as gigantic and awkward, they began their evolutionary journey as small, swift insectivores. The Triassic extinction event gave rise to large, armored creatures spanning multiple meters. Numerous dinosaurs evolved to be quadripedal, while speedy, nimble bipeds thrived. This diversity enabled dinosaurs to continue their existence on Earth for countless millions of years.

You can find more details on this subject at https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.231495.