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Figure 1. Evolution of macroecological traits in Dinosauria. Large scale event in dinosaur evolution (a); the origin of dinosaurs (star), hyperthermals (volcano), the earliest fossil Avialae (bird), the earliest fossil angiosperm (flower), the Cretaceous/Palaeogene mass extinction (asteroid). Phylogeny of dinosaurs (b) redrawn from Sereno and adapted to the current consensus and upon which an ancestral state reconstruction of temperature niche (mean annual temperature) after Chiarenza et al. is plotted; Mesozoic palaeogeographies (c) for Triassic (T), Jurassic (J) and Cretaceous (K). Silhouette colours symbolize body mass for each of the taxa represented; information on dietary habits are plotted after Barrett and Zanno & Makovicky; numbers represent clades discussed through this study: 1, Ornithischia; 2, Thyreophora; 3, Ornithopoda; 4, Hadrosauroidea; 5, Marginocephalia; 6, Ceratopsia; 7, Saurischia; 8, Sauropodomorpha; 9, Sauropoda; 10, Theropoda; 11, Ceratosauria; 12, Tetanurae; 13, Coelurosauria; 14, Maniraptoriformes; 15, Maniraptora; 16, Deinonychosauria; 17, Avialae; 18, Ornithothoraces. Palaeogeographies modified from original plots via R package ‘mapast’ using plate models by Scotese.

Figure 1. Evolution of macroecological traits in Dinosauria. Large scale event in dinosaur evolution (a); the origin of dinosaurs (star), hyperthermals (volcano), the earliest fossil Avialae (bird), the earliest fossil angiosperm (flower), the Cretaceous/Palaeogene mass extinction (asteroid). Phylogeny of dinosaurs (b) redrawn from Sereno and adapted to the current consensus and upon which an ancestral state reconstruction of temperature niche (mean annual temperature) after Chiarenza et al. is plotted; Mesozoic palaeogeographies (c) for Triassic (T), Jurassic (J) and Cretaceous (K). Silhouette colours symbolize body mass for each of the taxa represented; information on dietary habits are plotted after Barrett and Zanno & Makovicky; numbers represent clades discussed through this study: 1, Ornithischia; 2, Thyreophora; 3, Ornithopoda; 4, Hadrosauroidea; 5, Marginocephalia; 6, Ceratopsia; 7, Saurischia; 8, Sauropodomorpha; 9, Sauropoda; 10, Theropoda; 11, Ceratosauria; 12, Tetanurae; 13, Coelurosauria; 14, Maniraptoriformes; 15, Maniraptora; 16, Deinonychosauria; 17, Avialae; 18, Ornithothoraces. Palaeogeographies modified from original plots via R package ‘mapast’ using plate models by Scotese.

scale Cretaceous Jurassic Mesozoic +23
Holotype of Alcione elainus.
Fig. 6 of:
Longrich, N. R., Martill, D. M., & Andres, B. (2018). Late Maastrichtian pterosaurs from North Africa and mass extinction of Pterosauria at the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary. PLoS biology, 16(3), e2001663.
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Original figure legend:
A. elainus FSAC-OB 2, holotype partial skeleton and FSAC-OB 217, metacarpal IV.

(A) Holotype right humerus in anterior view, (B) holotype right ulna and radius in anterior view, respectively, (C) holotype sternum in left lateral view, (D) referred metacarpal IV, (E) holotype, distal end of left metacarpal IV and left scapulocoracoid, and (F) holotype right femur in posterior view. Abbreviations: co, coracoid; cr, cristospine; dc, distal condyle; dpc, deltopectoral crest; ect, ectepicondyle; fh, femoral head; gl, glenoid; gt, greater trochanter; hh, humeral head; hum, humerus; mcIV, metacarpal IV, pc, proximal cotyle; pf, pneumatic foramen; rad, radius; scpr, supracondylar process; ste, sternum; uln, ulna.

Holotype of Alcione elainus. Fig. 6 of: Longrich, N. R., Martill, D. M., & Andres, B. (2018). Late Maastrichtian pterosaurs from North Africa and mass extinction of Pterosauria at the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary. PLoS biology, 16(3), e2001663. --- Original figure legend: A. elainus FSAC-OB 2, holotype partial skeleton and FSAC-OB 217, metacarpal IV. (A) Holotype right humerus in anterior view, (B) holotype right ulna and radius in anterior view, respectively, (C) holotype sternum in left lateral view, (D) referred metacarpal IV, (E) holotype, distal end of left metacarpal IV and left scapulocoracoid, and (F) holotype right femur in posterior view. Abbreviations: co, coracoid; cr, cristospine; dc, distal condyle; dpc, deltopectoral crest; ect, ectepicondyle; fh, femoral head; gl, glenoid; gt, greater trochanter; hh, humeral head; hum, humerus; mcIV, metacarpal IV, pc, proximal cotyle; pf, pneumatic foramen; rad, radius; scpr, supracondylar process; ste, sternum; uln, ulna.

crest humerus Cretaceous Maastrichtian +7
Holotype of Alcione elainus.
Fig. 6 of:
Longrich, N. R., Martill, D. M., & Andres, B. (2018). Late Maastrichtian pterosaurs from North Africa and mass extinction of Pterosauria at the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary. PLoS biology, 16(3), e2001663.
---
Original figure legend:
A. elainus FSAC-OB 2, holotype partial skeleton and FSAC-OB 217, metacarpal IV.

(A) Holotype right humerus in anterior view, (B) holotype right ulna and radius in anterior view, respectively, (C) holotype sternum in left lateral view, (D) referred metacarpal IV, (E) holotype, distal end of left metacarpal IV and left scapulocoracoid, and (F) holotype right femur in posterior view. Abbreviations: co, coracoid; cr, cristospine; dc, distal condyle; dpc, deltopectoral crest; ect, ectepicondyle; fh, femoral head; gl, glenoid; gt, greater trochanter; hh, humeral head; hum, humerus; mcIV, metacarpal IV, pc, proximal cotyle; pf, pneumatic foramen; rad, radius; scpr, supracondylar process; ste, sternum; uln, ulna.
Taxa Alcione

Holotype of Alcione elainus. Fig. 6 of: Longrich, N. R., Martill, D. M., & Andres, B. (2018). Late Maastrichtian pterosaurs from North Africa and mass extinction of Pterosauria at the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary. PLoS biology, 16(3), e2001663. --- Original figure legend: A. elainus FSAC-OB 2, holotype partial skeleton and FSAC-OB 217, metacarpal IV. (A) Holotype right humerus in anterior view, (B) holotype right ulna and radius in anterior view, respectively, (C) holotype sternum in left lateral view, (D) referred metacarpal IV, (E) holotype, distal end of left metacarpal IV and left scapulocoracoid, and (F) holotype right femur in posterior view. Abbreviations: co, coracoid; cr, cristospine; dc, distal condyle; dpc, deltopectoral crest; ect, ectepicondyle; fh, femoral head; gl, glenoid; gt, greater trochanter; hh, humeral head; hum, humerus; mcIV, metacarpal IV, pc, proximal cotyle; pf, pneumatic foramen; rad, radius; scpr, supracondylar process; ste, sternum; uln, ulna.

crest humerus Cretaceous Maastrichtian +7
Life restoration of the Triassic ichthyosaur Qianichthyosaurus xingyiensis.
References
Motani, Ryosuke; Jiang, Da-yong; Tintori, Andrea; Ji, Cheng; Huang, Jian-dong (2017). "Pre- versus post-mass extinction divergence of Mesozoic marine reptiles dictated by time-scale dependence of evolutionary rates". Proceedings of the Royal Society B 284 (1854): 20170241. DOI:10.1098/rspb.2017.0241.

Life restoration of the Triassic ichthyosaur Qianichthyosaurus xingyiensis. References Motani, Ryosuke; Jiang, Da-yong; Tintori, Andrea; Ji, Cheng; Huang, Jian-dong (2017). "Pre- versus post-mass extinction divergence of Mesozoic marine reptiles dictated by time-scale dependence of evolutionary rates". Proceedings of the Royal Society B 284 (1854): 20170241. DOI:10.1098/rspb.2017.0241.

scale Mesozoic Triassic Ichthyosauria +3

News

Ancient Oceans Began Losing Oxygen Millions of Years before End-Triassic Mass Extinction
Ancient Oceans Began Losing Oxygen Millions of Years before End-Triassic Mass Extinction
Triassic extinction
Chemical traces preserved in ancient rocks indicate that marine environments were deteriorating long before the catastrophe that wiped out vast numbers of species at the end of the Triassic period, around 201 million years ago. The post Ancient Oceans Began Losing Oxygen Millions of Years before End-Triassic Mass Extinction appeared first on Sci.News: Breaking Science News.
02/06/2026 sci-news
Fungi Bloomed Twice around End-Cretaceous Mass Extinction
Fungi Bloomed Twice around End-Cretaceous Mass Extinction
pelvis Denver Cretaceous Dinosauria extinction
By studying fungal microfossils in 66-million-year-old rock samples from the Denver Basin in Colorado, Johns Hopkins University microbiologists have confirmed that the dinosaur-killing asteroid impact triggered a worldwide fungal takeover, and uncovered a second, previously unknown ecological crisis just before it. The post Fungi Bloomed Twice around End-Cretaceous Mass Extinction appeared first on Sci.News: Breaking Science News.
28/05/2026 sci-news
Before Dinosaur Extinction, Rodent-Like Mammals were Already Flourishing in Ancient Arctic
Before Dinosaur Extinction, Rodent-Like Mammals were Already Flourishing in Ancient Arctic
Dinosauria extinction mammals
Paleontologists have described three previously unknown species of multituberculate mammals -- named Camurodon borealis, Qayaqgruk peregrinus, and Kaniqsiqcosmodon polaris -- that lived in polar forests about 73 million years ago. The post Before Dinosaur Extinction, Rodent-Like Mammals were Already Flourishing in Ancient Arctic appeared first on Sci.News: Breaking Science News.
20/05/2026 sci-news
Duplicated Genomes Helped Flowering Plants Survive End-Cretaceous Mass Extinction
Duplicated Genomes Helped Flowering Plants Survive End-Cretaceous Mass Extinction
Cretaceous extinction
A new analysis of 470 flowering plant species finds that whole-genome duplication surged precisely during Earth’s environmental crises, suggesting nature keeps a backup plan hidden in plain sight. The post Duplicated Genomes Helped Flowering Plants Survive End-Cretaceous Mass Extinction appeared first on Sci.News: Breaking Science News.
12/05/2026 sci-news
This tiny mammal survived the dinosaur apocalypse and changed life on Earth
fossil Dinosauria extinction mammals
A newly discovered prehistoric mammal may hold clues to how life survived the dinosaur-killing extinction. The tiny species, Cimolodon desosai, lived 75 million years ago and had traits—like a small body and varied diet—that likely boosted survival odds. Found in Baja California, the fossil includes rare skeletal remains that reveal how it moved and lived. Researchers believe its lineage helped mammals endure one of Earth’s deadliest events.
27/04/2026 sciencedaily
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