Dinosaurs Were Evolutionary Copycats of These Long-Lost Look-Alikes

[Still Waters]

Had a volcano-driven mass extinction not occurred at the end of the Triassic 201 million years ago, we likely would have had something closer to an Age of Crocodiles than the Age of Dinosaurs that actually followed. Ancient relatives of today’s swamp-dwelling reptiles were more diverse than dinosaurs and came in an even greater array of shapes and sizes, with dinosaurs largely on the ecological sidelines. When intense volcanic outpourings caused global climates to rapidly swing between hot and cold, however, fuzzy and warm-blooded dinosaurs were better able to cope. Crocodiles and other forms of ancient reptiles were hit much harder.

The Triassic began 252 million years ago as life was recovering from the worst mass extinction of all time, also caused by the aftereffects of incredible volcanic eruptions. Protomammals were decimated by the catastrophe, but reptiles of all sorts quickly evolved to open new niches in the water, on land and in the air. Dinosaurs were certainly among this saurian surfeit, but they weren’t necessarily trendsetters.

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/long-before-dinosaurs-these-look-alikes-roamed-the-earth-180981853/

[Waspie_Dwarf]

A fascinating article. Thank you @Still Waters