Buriolestes
Buriolestes is an early sauropodomorph dinosaur from the Late Triassic of Brazil. Despite its carnivorous-looking teeth and skull, it is classified as an early member of the herbivorous sauropodomorph lineage. Its discovery provides insights into the early evolution of dinosaurs and their dietary habits.
Key Facts
- ›Buriolestes lived during the Late Triassic period, approximately 233 million years ago.
- ›Fossils were discovered in the Santa Maria Formation in Paraná Basin, southern Brazil.
- ›It possessed finely serrated teeth, suggesting a carnivorous diet, but is classified as an early sauropodomorph.
- ›Key sauropodomorph traits include a downturned jaw tip and a long deltopectoral crest.
- ›Specimens show size variation, with some individuals weighing over 15 kg and others between 6.4–7.2 kg.
- ›Its well-developed optic lobe suggests it was a sight-based predator.
- Jaws lined with finely serrated, slightly curved teeth.
- Downturned jaw tip.
- Long deltopectoral crest on the humerus.
- Medial condyle on the end of the tibia projects backwards.
- Straight shaft of the pubis.
- Relatively tall preacetabular ala of the ilium.
- Bevelled outer edges of the pubis.
- Femur trochanter forms a shelf.
- Relatively long metatarsal of the fifth digit on the foot.
- Well-developed optic lobe.
Ixalerpeton, Eoraptor, Panphagia, Pampadromaeus, Saturnalia
South America
About Buriolestes
Buriolestes: An Early Carnivorous Sauropodomorph
Buriolestes is a genus of early sauropodomorph dinosaurs that roamed the Earth during the Late Triassic period, approximately 233 million years ago. Its fossils have been unearthed in the Santa Maria Formation of the Paraná Basin in southern Brazil. The genus is represented by a single species, Buriolestes schultzi, formally named in 2016. The discovery of Buriolestes is notable for its implications regarding the early evolution of dinosaur diets and the diversification of major dinosaur groups.
Discovery and Naming
The initial discovery of the holotype specimen occurred in 2009 within the Buriol ravine in São João do Polêsine, Brazil. These rock layers belong to the Santa Maria Formation, dating to the Carnian epoch. The specimen includes a partial skeleton with parts of the skull, vertebrae, and limbs. Additional remains, including a largely complete skeleton with an intact skull, were discovered later and described in 2018. These finds have significantly improved our understanding of Buriolestes, making it one of the most completely known Triassic dinosaurs.
The genus name, Buriolestes, combines the location of its discovery, the Buriol ravine, with the Greek word "lestes," meaning "robber." The specific epithet, schultzi, honors the palaeontologist Cezar Schultz.
Description and Classification
Despite its superficial resemblance to predatory theropod dinosaurs, characterized by finely serrated teeth well-suited for a carnivorous diet, Buriolestes is classified as an early member of the Sauropodomorpha. This group is otherwise known for its herbivorous members, including the colossal sauropods that evolved later. Characteristic sauropodomorph features present in Buriolestes include a downturned jaw tip and a prominent deltopectoral crest on the humerus. However, it also possesses unique traits, such as a backward-projecting medial condyle on its tibia, which serve as autapomorphies.
Phylogenetic analyses consistently place Buriolestes as a very basal sauropodomorph, potentially the most primitive known. Its well-developed optic lobe suggests it was a visually oriented predator, with a comparatively underdeveloped olfactory bulb. The absence of pneumatized bones, as indicated by micro-computed tomography scans, suggests that this feature evolved independently in different archosaur groups.
Paleoecology and Significance
The teeth and skull morphology of Buriolestes provide compelling evidence that early sauropodomorphs, and likely saurischians and dinosaurs as a whole, were ancestrally carnivorous. This finding suggests that the evolution of herbivory occurred independently multiple times within sauropodomorphs, ornithischians, and various theropod lineages. Furthermore, the co-occurrence of Buriolestes with non-dinosaur dinosauromorphs like Ixalerpeton indicates that dinosaurs did not immediately displace their predecessors after their initial evolutionary radiation.
Source: Wikipedia ↗
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of dinosaur was Buriolestes?
Buriolestes was an early sauropodomorph dinosaur. Although its skull and teeth suggest a carnivorous diet, it belongs to the group that later evolved into giant, herbivorous sauropods.
When and where did Buriolestes live?
Buriolestes lived during the Late Triassic period, specifically the Carnian epoch. Its fossils have been found in the Paraná Basin of southern Brazil.
What did Buriolestes eat?
The finely serrated and curved teeth of Buriolestes indicate it was likely a carnivore that preyed on small vertebrates and invertebrates. This discovery suggests that early sauropodomorphs, and possibly all saurischians, were ancestrally carnivorous.
How large was Buriolestes?
Skeletally mature specimens of Buriolestes exhibited size variation. One robust individual weighed over 15.4 kg (34 lb), while others weighed between 6.4–7.2 kg (14–16 lb).
What makes Buriolestes important in dinosaur evolution?
Buriolestes is significant because it provides evidence that sauropodomorphs were ancestrally carnivorous, challenging earlier assumptions. It also shows that dinosaurs did not immediately replace their dinosauromorph precursors after their initial evolutionary radiation.
Related Dinosaur species
Aratasaurus
Aratasaurus museunacionali is an extinct genus of basal coelurosaurian theropod dinosaur discovered in Brazil. Known from a partial right leg, it is the only tetrapod fossil found in the lower levels of the Romualdo Formation, dating to the Early Cretaceous period. The dinosaur's name commemorates its discovery during the preparation of fossils for the National Museum of Brazil, which was later damaged by a fire.
Adamantisaurus
Adamantisaurus was a genus of titanosaurian sauropod dinosaur that lived during the Late Cretaceous Period in South America. It is known from only six tail vertebrae, suggesting it was a large animal with a long neck and tail. Its exact evolutionary relationships are difficult to determine due to the limited fossil material.
Arrudatitan
Arrudatitan was a titanosaur sauropod dinosaur that lived during the Late Cretaceous period in what is now Brazil. This relatively gracile titanosaur is known from partial skeletal remains, including vertebrae, ribs, and limb bones. The genus was established in 2021 to house the species previously known as Aeolosaurus maximus, reflecting its distinctiveness from the Aeolosaurus genus.