A team of paleontologists from the UK, University of Birmingham, and Morocco has unearthed the oldest known cerapodan ornithischian dinosaur, dating back to approximately 168 million years ago. The discovery, published in the journal Royal Society Open Science, sheds light on the evolution of these small, plant-eating dinosaurs that hopped around on two legs like modern birds.
The fossil, a femur, was found in the Middle Atlas Mountains in Morocco and features distinct characteristics unique to cerapodans, including a groove on the back of the top of the bone. The team’s findings confirm theories suggesting that these dinosaurs diversified prior to the Cretaceous period, allowing them to thrive in various climates.
The discovery is significant as it fills gaps in our knowledge of cerapodan history, which has been limited by a lack of fossils from the Middle Jurassic period. This finding, combined with previous research on their presence during the Cretaceous, suggests that cerapodans may have existed for a longer period than previously thought.
The team’s discovery also highlights the potential for further discoveries in Morocco’s Middle Atlas Mountains, which could provide more insights into the evolution of these fascinating creatures.
Source: https://phys.org/news/2025-03-oldest-cerapodan-ornithischian-dinosaur-morocco.html