Pisanosaurus: Research Database
Dinosauria (Archosauria) · Late Triassic (~228–216 MYA) · South America — Argentina (Ischigualasto Formation)
Research Note: Pisanosaurus was a dinosaur from the Late Triassic Ischigualasto Formation of Argentina. As one of the earliest known dinosaurs, it provides critical data on the origin and early diversification of dinosaurs in the Triassic.
| Research Finding | Status | Grade | Year | Method | Citation | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Martínez & Alcober 2011: Pisanosaurus and early dinosaur diversity in the Triassic of Argentina
Martínez & Alcober 2011 provide comprehensive data on Pisanosaurus from the Late Triassic Ischigualasto Formation of Argentina, establishing it as one of the earliest known dinosaurs and documenting its significance for understanding the origin and early diversification of dinosaurs in the Triassic
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Confirmed | A | 2011 | Fossil | Martínez & Alcober, ZooKeys | Taxonomy |
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Césari & Colombi 2016: Paleobotany of the Ischigualasto Formation and early dinosaur ecosystems
Césari & Colombi 2016 provide additional data on the paleobotany and ecosystems of the Ischigualasto Formation, contextualising Pisanosaurus within the broader ecological context of early dinosaur ecosystems in the Triassic
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Confirmed | B | 2016 | Fossil | Césari & Colombi, Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology | Ecology |
Active Debate: The Phylogenetic Position of Pisanosaurus
Whether Pisanosaurus is the earliest known dinosaur or a dinosauromorph is debated.
What We Still Do Not Know About Pisanosaurus
- Complete skeletal morphology: Partial specimen known.
- Body mass: Estimated.
- Diet: Likely omnivorous/herbivorous.
- Social behavior: No direct evidence.
In Depth
Pisanosaurus is easily one of the oldest ornithischian dinosaurs that are currently known to science. Unfortunately the holotype specimen is very fragmentary, and details such as the orientation of the pubic bone are still unknown. Despite this the basic orithopod body form can still be clearly seen, Pisanosaurus is a good indicator for a type of dinosaur that would become common and widespread all the way through the Mesozoic.
Further Reading
- Un nuevo dinosaurio ornitisquio triasico (Pisanosaurus mertii; Ornithopoda) de la Formaci�n Ischigualasto, Argentina [A new Triassic ornithischian dinosaur (Pisanosaurus mertii; Ornithopoda) from the Ischigualasto Formation, Argentina]. - Ameghiniana 4(2):47-64. - R. M. Casamiquela - 1967. – Pisanosaurus mertii Casamiquela and the origin of the Ornithischia. – Journal of Paleontology. 50 (5): 808–820. – J. F. Bonaparte – 1976. – Nuevas observaciones sobre Pisanosaurus mertii Casamiquela, 1967 (Dinosauriformes) y sus implicancias taxon�micas. – XXIX Jornadas Argentinas de Paleontolog�a de Vertebrados. 27–29. – Federico L. Agnolin – 2015. – Phylogenetic reassessment of Pisanosaurus mertii Casamiquela, 1967, a basal dinosauriform from the Late Triassic of Argentina. – Journal of Systematic Palaeontology. 16 (10): 853–879. – Federico L. Agnol�n & Sebasti�n Rozadilla – 2017. – Pisanosaurus mertii and the Triassic ornithischian crisis: could phylogeny offer a solution?. – Historical Biology: An International Journal of Paleobiology. 31 (8): 1–15. – Matthew G. Baron – 2018.
