In the ancient forests of Gondwana, a small agile hunter moved among the first giant herbivores. The discovery of Maleriraptor kuttyi in India reveals an unsuspected diversity among predatory dinosaurs of the Late Triassic.
Reconstruction of Maleriraptor kuttyi alongside the sauropodomorph unaysaurid Jaklapallisaurus asymmetricus, both from the early Norian of the Upper Maleri Formation in south-central India.
Illustration by Márcio L. Castro.
This species, identified through 220-million-year-old fossils, provides new insights into the distribution of herrerasaurians. These bipedal carnivores, long considered predominantly South American, also inhabited India, suggesting adaptation to varied environments.
A missing link in the evolutionary tree
Maleriraptor kuttyi exhibits intermediate characteristics between primitive herrerasaurians from North America and more recent forms from South America. Its anatomy, analyzed in Royal Society Open Science, combines ancestral and specialized traits.
Researchers used phylogenetic methods to place this dinosaur in evolutionary history. The results indicate a key position, linking geographically distinct lineages.
This discovery fills a temporal gap between the carnivorous faunas of the Carnian and Norian. It shows the persistence of herrerasaurians after the extinction of rhynchosaurs, previously dominant herbivorous reptiles.
a) Paleomap of the Late Triassic showing the distribution of herrerasaurians.
b) Map of Gondwana basins in India, highlighting the Pranhita-Godavari Valley.
c) Detailed geological map of a portion of the Pranhita-Godavari Valley showing type localities of named dinosaurs from the Upper Maleri Formation.
d) Skeletal reconstruction of Maleriraptor kuttyi (drawing by M.S.G.) with preserved bones highlighted in color.
Survival linked to climate?
The absence of herrerasaurians in South America during the Norian could be explained by climatic differences. India shared similar conditions with North America, favoring certain species.
The Indian fossils include vertebrae and pelvic bones, typical of agile predators. These elements confirm an active lifestyle adapted to hunting in a changing ecosystem.
This study highlights the importance of faunal exchanges between continents during the Triassic. The similarities between India and North America open new avenues for understanding dinosaur dispersal.