Sahara and Amazon May Hold Clues to Dinosaurs’ Earliest Origins, New Study Suggests

The origins of the earliest dinosaurs could lie beneath the sands of the Sahara Desert and the dense foliage of the Amazon rainforest, as suggested by recent findings. Fossils from these regions, if discovered, might trace the evolutionary roots of dinosaurs back beyond 230 million years—the age of the oldest known remains. Such discoveries have the potential to reshape our understanding of how and where dinosaurs emerged, challenging existing theories about their beginnings in Gondwana's southernmost parts.

New Insights into Dinosaur Evolution

According to research published in Current Biology, simulations using a computer model indicate that dinosaurs may have originated in Gondwana's equatorial regions. These areas, now home to the Sahara, Amazon and Congo Basin, were once hot, arid landscapes. Joel Heath, a doctoral researcher at University College London (UCL), stated that gaps in the fossil record obscure a clear picture of early dinosaur origins.

The findings suggest that early dinosaurs likely inhabited deserts and savanna-like regions. These small creatures, comparable in size to modern chickens or dogs, adapted to thrive in extreme conditions. Philip Mannion, a paleobiologist at UCL, noted to UCL news that certain groups, such as sauropods, retained a preference for warm climates, while others adapted to colder environments by developing traits like heat generation.

Gaps in the Fossil Record

As reported by Live Science, the study highlighted challenges in uncovering fossils from these equatorial regions, as they remain underexplored and difficult to access. Past fossil discoveries, primarily concentrated in southern Brazil, Argentina and Zimbabwe, pointed to Gondwana's southern regions as the cradle of dinosaurs. However, recent findings of chicken-sized dinosaurs in North America suggest a broader distribution during the Triassic period, making it plausible that dinosaurs moved across equatorial areas.

These revelations prompt a reconsideration of the early history of dinosaurs, with the equator playing a pivotal role in their dispersal and evolution. Efforts to explore overlooked regions could unlock significant new insights into their ancient past.