Maleriraptor

MEANING: Maleri thief

PERIOD: Late Triassic

CONTINENT: Asia

Maleriraptor is a herrerasaurian dinosaur from the Late Triassic of what is now India. It was a small bipedal carnivore at about 3-4 m in length, though relatively diminutive size was common for dinosaurs at this time. Maleriraptor is classified as a herrerasaur, but it is notably outside the herrerasauridae, known from South America.

Abstract from paper: Some of the oldest known dinosaurs and the first faunas numerically dominated by them are documented in the Upper Triassic–Lower Jurassic-aged Gondwana formations exposed in the Pranhita-Godavari Valley of south-central and east-central India. The Upper Maleri Formation of the Pranhita-Godavari Basin preserves an early-middle Norian dinosaur assemblage numerically dominated by sauropodomorph dinosaurs, including at least two nominal species. However, the preliminary report of a herrerasaurian dinosaur specimen indicates that this assemblage of south-central Gondwana was more taxonomically diverse. Here, we describe and compare in detail the anatomy and assess the taxonomy and phylogenetic relationships of the Upper Maleri herrerasaurian specimen. A unique combination of character states present in this specimen allows the erection of the new genus and species Maleriraptor kuttyi. Updated quantitative phylogenetic analyses focused on early dinosauriforms recovered Maleriraptor kuttyi as a member of Herrerasauria outside of the South American clade Herrerasauridae. Maleriraptor kuttyi fills a temporal gap between the Carnian South American herrerasaurids and the younger middle Norian–Rhaetian herrerasaurs of North America. Maleriraptor kuttyi shows the first evidence that herrerasaurs survived also in Gondwana the early Norian tetrapod turnover that resulted in the global extinction of the rhynchosaurs.

Maleriraptor is from the Late Triassic. The Triassic is the first geologic period of the Mesozoic, spanning from the end of the Permian Period 252 million years ago to the beginning of the Jurassic 201 million years ago. Both the start and end of the Triassic were marked by major extinction events. In the aftermath of the devastating Permian-Triassic extinction, life gradually rebounded, giving rise to new groups that would shape the Mesozoic Era. The global climate during the Triassic was mostly hot and dry, with vast deserts dominating the interior of the supercontinent Pangea. Over time, as Pangea began to rift apart, the climate slowly became more humid, creating new environments and opportunities for ecological diversification.

For much of the Triassic, dinosaurs were not yet the dominant terrestrial animals. Instead, the land was populated by a variety of other reptiles, including sprawling archosaurs. Early synapsids, the lineage that would eventually lead to mammals, were also still present but declining. Vegetation was dominated by drought-tolerant plants such as seed ferns, cycads, ginkgoes, and early conifers. These hardy plants formed the base of recovering ecosystems during this volatile time.

It wasn't until the Late Triassic, around 230 million years ago, that the first true dinosaurs appeared. Early forms were small, bipedal, and lightly built, likely preying on insects and small vertebrates. While they remained minor players compared to other reptilian groups, their agility, upright stance, and efficient breathing gave them advantages that would prove crucial in the long run. As the Triassic drew to a close, another mass extinction event reshaped life on Earth once again—wiping out many of the dominant reptile groups and clearing the way for dinosaurs to rise to prominence in the Jurassic.

Maleriraptor is a herrerasaur. Herrerasauria is a family of early, basal carnivorous dinosaurs that lived during the Late Triassic. These dinosaurs are often considered basal theropods due to their bipedal stance, sharp teeth, and carnivorous diet. However, there is ongoing debate about their exact placement within the dinosaur family tree. Some paleontologists argue that herrerasaurs may not be true theropods at all, and could instead be more basal saurischians, or even entirely outside of Dinosauria. This uncertainty stems from their mix of features seen in both early dinosaurs and more primitive archosaurs, making their exact evolutionary relationships somewhat ambiguous.

Herrerasaurs were small in terms of Mesozoic theropods, but they were relatively large by Triassic standards, with some species reaching lengths of up to 6 m. Compared to smaller basal theropods, herrerasaurs were more robust, with long, powerful legs, a large skull, and sharp teeth adapted for carnivory. Their bodies were built for speed and hunting, with long tails for balance and relatively short arms. While they shared many features with later theropods, their overall build was less specialized, reflecting their early position on the dinosaur evolutionary tree.