Canada: Scientists propose new classification system of dinosaur family tree

After an analysis of 75 species of dinosaurs, scientists recently came to the conclusion that the meat-eating group, which includes T. rex, should be separated from plant-eaters such as the Brontosaurus due to their irreconcilable differences.

"We may be proved to be correct, we may not," said University of Cambridge paleontologist Matthew Baron, who led the research published in the journal Nature, CBCNews reported.

Scientists also believed that dinosaurs originated 252 million years ago.

Some of the scientists have been tweeting on the subject too.

Baron tweeted,“The first dinosaurs emerged in an area that is now Britain.”

University of Maryland paleontologist Thomas Holtz tweeted,“Dinosaurs could have a UK origin https://t.co/GPSDze5px7 via @MailOnline”

A series of tweets from Baron reads:

“Radical shakeup of dinosaur family tree points to unexpected Scottish origins https://www.theguardian.com/science/2017/mar/22/scottish-fossil-may-cause-radical-shakeup-of-dinosaur-family-tree-saltopus?CMP=share_btn_tw … #ScottishTakeOnOrnithoscelida.”

“A shocking new study just disproved the 130-year-old theory about where dinosaurs came from http://uk.businessinsider.com/cambridge-study-disproves-130-year-old-dinosaur-origins-theory-nature-2017-3 … via @BIUK_Tech”

“Provocative major re-organisation of dinosaur phylogeny http://www.nature.com/news/dinosaur-family-tree-poised-for-colossal-shake-up-1.21681 … http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v543/n7646/full/nature21700.html … http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v543/n7646/full/543494a.html … @nature.”

Media reports quoted Baron as saying, "But what has to happen now is a complete abandonment of old dogmatic views across the field because we have shown that rigorous and objective studies can pull apart age-old ideas, and that we as scientists should never get too comfortable with an idea when it can still be tested in new ways.".

A Facebook post by Holtz said, “New study shakes up the dinosaur family tree https://t.co/EpIWtCS2JI via @usatoday”

Baron proposed two newly devised categories. The first, called Ornithoscelida, joins the theropods with all the current members of Ornithischia.

Baron tweeted, “A new theory proposes a radical regrouping of dinosaurs into two new major groups http://go.nature.com/2nIZc79”

Holtz tweeted, “Palaeontology: Dividing the dinosaurs http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/543494a  #CryHavokAndLetSlipTheOrnithoscelidansOfWar!”

In another tweet, Holtz said, “Ornithoscelida Rises: A New Family Tree for #Dinosaurs https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/tetrapod-zoology/ornithoscelida-rises-a-new-family-tree-for-dinosaurs/ … #evolution #phylogeny #fossils”

Bob Nicholls,  Professional paleoartist, tweeted “Ornithischians + Theropods = Ornithoscelida! http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v543/n7646/full/nature21700.html “

Holtz went to say on Facebook, “Still my favorite personal quote from the whole #Ornithoscelida issue isn't even about dinosaurs: “Even though we have complete genomes and entire bodies, we still can't resolve if elephants are closer to sloths than to horses, for example.”

“Rearrangement: study is dinosaur family tree in questionhttp://https://t.co/qbhKQYmytq via @SPIEGELONLINE.” -- posted Holtz.

The current Saurischia group would lose the theropods but add a strange, primitive group of two-legged carnivores called herrerasaurids.

Baron tweeted, “Paradigm-busting news.. a new #Nature study proposes theropods are closer to ornithischians than to saurodomorphs https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/tetrapod-zoology/ornithoscelida-rises-a-new-family-tree-for-dinosaurs/ …”

The analysis placed the earliest dinosaur at 242 to 247 million years ago, a small Tanzanian species called Nyasasaurus, soon to become the dominant land animals until an asteroid wiped them out 66 million years ago.

"Our results strongly suggest that the ancestral dinosaur was a quick, two-footed, generalist feeder that would have eaten a mix of plants and meat," Baron said.

Facebook post by Holtz, “Dinosaur: pedigree reformed - new pedigree for lizards-https://t.co/jk23KLN1ed”

Baron’s tweet, “After 130 years, the dinosaur family tree gets dramatically redrawn, writes @edyong209”

Holtz tweeted, “#EverythingYouKnowIsWrong (mabye).”

(Reporting by Asha Bajaj)

Image of Dinosaur: Wikipedia