Dinosaur Evolution: A Journey from Tetrapod to Bird

Several Theropod groups arose in the later epochs of the Triassic like Coelophysis, Liliensternus, Zupaysaurus, and Dilophosaurids (whose famous members Dilophosaurus and Crylophosaurus appear in the early Jurassic but were very much a triassic Theropod)

In the early Jurassic another clade of theropod evolved from primitive Triassic theropods possibly sharing a common ancestors with the aforementioned early Dilophosaurids. the Averostra which are divided in to Ceratosaurs and the Tetanurae.

Tetanurae eventually lead to two more larger clades: Megalosauroidea (Megalosaurids, Spinosaurids, and Monolophosaurus) and Avetheropoda.

Avetheropoda is divided in to: Carnosauria (Allosaurids, Carcharodontosaurids, and Neovenatorids) and last but not least Coelurosauria.

Coelurosauria is divided in to several groups: Primitive Coelurosauria and Tyrannoraptora.

Tyrannoraptora is then divided in to Tyrannosauroids, Compsognathids, Maniraptoriformes, and basal/primitive Tyrannoraptorans.

Maniraptoriformes are then divided in to Ornithomimosauria, Maniraptora, and basal Maniraptoriformes like Fukuivenator.

Maniraptora is divided in to Alvarezsauria, Therizinosauria, Pennaraptora, and basal Maniraptorans.

Pennaraptora is then divided in to Oviraptorosauria, Paraves, and basal Pennaraptorans.

Paraves is then divided in to Scansoriopterygids, Eumaniraptora, and basal Paraves.

we are almost at the end, Eumaniraptora can be divided in to Dromaeosaurids (like Utahraptor, Veloicraptor, and Microraptors) and Averaptora which is divided in to Troodontids and Avialae (True Birds: Both basal and modern)

Thanks for making my suggestion Xenotaris!

We should gather all of the Dinosaur experts here.

Avialae is then divided into Euavialae (True winged Birds) and basal Avialae.

Euavialae eventually leads to the clade Avebrevicauda (Short tailed Birds) which then leads to Pygostylia which divides in to Omnivoropterygids, Confuciusornithiformes, Ornithothoraces, and other basal Pygostylia.

Ornithothoraces are then divided up in to Enantiornithes and Euornithes.

Euornithes later evolves in to the clade Ornithuromorpha, which later down the evolutionary road leads to Ornithurae which is divided between basal Ornithurae and the more advanced Neornithes (Modern Birds) which is divided into two clades: Palaeognathae and Neognathae.

Neognathae is further divided:

Galloanserae 

^

[Galliformes (pheasants, turkeys, peacocks, and fowls=chickens), 

Anseriformes (Ducks, Swans, Geese)]

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Neoaves 

^

[Phoenicopteriformes (Flamingos and their relatives), 

Podicipediformes (Grebe and their relatives), 

Columbiformes (Pigeons and doves), 

Mesitornithiformes (Mesite), 

Pteroclidiformes (Sandgrouse), 

Apodiformes (Swifts, Tree Swifts, and Humming Birds), 

Caprimulgiformes (Oilbirds, Nightjars, Frogmouths, potoos, and Nighthawks), 

Cuculiformes (Cuckoo), 

Otidiformes (Bustards, including floricans and korhaans), 

Musophagiformes (Turaco), 

Opisthocomiformes ( Hoatzin), 

Gruiformes (Cranes, Crakes, and Rails), 

Charadriiformes (Waders, Gulls, and Auks), 

Gaviiformes (loons or divers and their closest extinct relatives), 

Procellariiformes (Petrels), 

Sphenisciformes (Penguins), 

Ciconiiformes (Storks), 

Suliformes (Frigatebird, Gannet, Booby, Cormorant, Shag, and darters), 

Pelecaniformes (Pelicans), 

Eurypygiformes (Kagus and Sunbitten), 

Phaethontiformes (Tropicbird), 

Accipitriformes (Bird of Prey: Hawks, Eagles, Harriers, Osprey, Buzzards, Old World Vultures, Kites, and Secretarybirds), 

Strigiformes (Owls), 

Coliiformes (Mousebird), 

Leptosomiformes (Cuckoo roller), 

Trogoniformes (Trogons and Quetzals), 

Bucerotiformes (Hornbills, Hoopoe and Wood hoopoes), 

Coraciiformes (Kingfishers, the Bee-eaters, the Rollers, the Motmots, and the Todies), 

Piciformes (Woodpeckers and close relatives), 

Cariamiformes (Seriema), 

Falconiformes (Falcons and Caracaras), 

Psittaciformes (Parrots), 

Passeriformes (Sunbird, Crovids, Jays, Sparrows, Weavers)

sorry for the long list was jotting out all the bird groups, LOL

Lol ok!

Also Eagles are related to which dinosaurs?

read the evolution chart I made. 

Ok.

All Birds belong in Paraves which they share with Troodons and Dromaeosaurids like Velociraptor, Utahraptor, and Microraptors

Thanks.

I will later discuss more on individual Theropod linages, my personal favorite are the Dromaeosaurids, Tyrannosauroids, and the Dilophosaurids

Nice i will follow your lists and i will ask GG to feature it! You know we could work together on discussions! PM me if you want to. Also what's your favourite Dinosaur? Mine is Spinosaurus.

Well I love all Dinosaurs but my favorite is Dilophosaurus and it turned out to be the cornerstone of theropod evolution.

Its the dinosaur I've been using in most of my posts.

Yup! I sent a PM to GG asking him to feature this btw.

Still have not admitted that chickens and T.rex are the closest in DNA though.

.........rlly

Why? My Evolution chart is based on fossil evidence. A Chicken is a bird there for it would be a relative to Dromaoesaurus "ie Utahraptor and Velociraptor" and Troodons. Tyrannosauruses broke away early in Bird evolution to the point they had little to no direct relations to Birds. Also if Chciekns and T. rexes were identical then a chicken would look exactly like a tyrannosaurus if there DNA were similar. Your DNA is your biological blue print, Chickens might have T. rex proteins but they are still closer related to Raptors I'm sorry dromaeosaurs than a darn Tyrannosauroid!

Not to mention dromaoesaurids ie Utahraptors and Velociraptors had more bird features than any tyrannosauroid aside from feathers but it seems that most dinosaurs were covered in some sort of feather covering except the Dromaosaurids, Troodontids, and Birds have flight feathers and had powered flight/glide.

Well yes, dromaeosaurids are the closest to birds.

Thanks for sharing this with us. :) I like all the details about how dinosaurs evolved.

Your welcome, Dinosaurs are my passion.

^We can all agree on dinosaurs being our passion.

Alright man, hey I'm just stating what paleontologists and news websites have reported. It is indeed your view against the rest of the World. Although your view makes a good deal of sense. Based on the blood vessel they found of the Tyrant King--chicken shares the most similarities to T.rex, closer than any other bird. Therefore, it is its closest living relative.

Actually I found some sights that said that Chickens  and their relatives are just more basal theropod like not exactly being part T. rex

So they may be part raptor too?

Chickens being a member of the modern bird clade/group shares a close common ancestor (its closests relative) to Dromaosaurids (Raptors) and Troodons. The Chicken does not share a common ancestor with Tyrannosaurids, it does share a distant common ancestor with Tyrannosauroids but so do all Coelurosaurians.

Now I would like to move on to Tyrannosaurus evolution. The early basal Tyrannosauroids belong to a subclade called Proceratosaurids it was called this back when scientists used to think they were primitive ceratosauruses. Now Proceratosaurids have been reclassified as early Tyrannnosauroids rather than basal Ceratosaurids. Tyrannosauroids are a clade of animals that include basal Tyrannosauroids like Dilong and Guanlong, as well as the advanced Tyrannosauroids, the ever popular Tyrannosaurids with Tyrannosaurus rex as its crowning member.

Now early Tyrannosauroids like Dilong and Guanlong may have been somewhat raptor-like but only because they are both Coelurosaurians and they occupied a similar niche to larger dromaeosaurids but unlike the later dromaoesaurids, these basal tyrannosauroids lacked flight feathers as they were only covered in protofeathers and unlike the latter dromaoesaurids they couldn't glide or had power flight; a trait that defines paravians such as Dromaoesaurids, Troodontids, and Avians but not the Tyrannosauroids.

Other basal Tyrannosauroids include Juratyrant, Proceratosaurus, Sinotyrannus, and Yutyrannus. Later we start seeing more advanced Tyrannsauroids such as Eotyrannus, Raptorex, Bagaraatan, Alectrosaurus, Appalachiosaurus, and Alioramus before proper Tyrannosaurids make an appearance.
Now we are on to the Tyrannosaurids, we have the basal Gorgosaurus and Albertosaurus and the more advanced Tyrannosaurians such as Daspletosaurus, Teratophoneus, Bistahieversor, Lythronax, Tarbosaurus, Zhuchengtyrannus, and finally Tyrannosaurus.

Interesting! I love this post we should gather Dinosaur fans here.

Indeed

I will contact Lord Tyrant and maybe Raptor-401.

sweet!

finished

As much as I love Jurassic-Cretaceous dinosaurs, I find earlier Triassic Dinosaurs more fascinating because of their more basal routes and I'm fascinated with early dinosaur evolution. I know its easier to love Utahraptor, Tyrannosaurus, Velociraptor, Triceratops, Apatosaurus, Parasaurolophus, Ankylosaurus, Stegosaurus, Brachiosaurus, or even Spinosaurus but Triassic dinosaurs were like the great grand parents of the more famous dinosaur clades.

Yeah! My favorite Triassic dinosaur is Gojirasaurus quayi! For the Jurassic i must say Allosaurus and finally for the Cretaceous period Spinosaurus who's also my favorite dinosaur. I also like Styracosaurus and Brachiosaurs.

Ah Gojirasaurus, a rather large Coelophysoid. Hey its not too distant from my favorite dinosaur, Dilophosaurus.

Yup! I love Gojirasaurus because as a Coelophysoid it is HUGE!! Like Godzilla as you see in my profile pic.

Hey it might of had competition with another large coelophysoid Liliensternus. although my Dilophosaurus is bigger but Dilophosaurus is an Early Jurassic Theropod with the body of a Late Triassic Theropod. Dilophosaurus a while back was considered to be a Coelophysoid before being placed in its own clade Dilophosauridae.

Yeah.

Gojirasaurus is my favourite Triassic dinosaur