An attentive oviraptorid theropod dinosaur broods its nest of blue-green eggs while its mate looks on in what is now Jiangxi Province of southern China some 70 million years ago. Artwork by Zhao Chuang. Credit: © Zhao Chuang

The Dawn of Warm-Blooded Dinosaurs: Unveiling the Early Theropods

The Emergence of Theropod Dinosaurs

Adaptations and Evolutionary Advantages

Step into the Mesozoic Era, where the first warm-blooded dinosaurs roamed!

The Emergence of Theropod Dinosaurs

Around 230 million years ago:

1. Early theropods appeared in the Triassic period

2. Characterized by feathered bodies and three-toed limbs

3. Predated other dinosaurs and reptiles

Adaptations and Evolutionary Advantages

Warm-bloodedness brought:

1. Enhanced metabolism and energy

2. Improved hunting and survival capabilities

3. Better regulation of body temperature

Notable Early Theropods:

1. Eoraptor (Argentina, 228 million years ago)

2. Herrerasaurus (Argentina, 230 million years ago)

3. Coelophysis (North America, 210 million years ago)