New research published in "Biology Letters", describes Nyasasaurus parringtoni, the earliest known member of the taxon Dinosauria. The appearance of dinosaurs in the Triassic was an important event in the history of life as it marked the onset of the faunal diversification that has dominated terrestrial ecosystems for almost 230 Myr.
This new research has found that initial dinosaur radiation may have occurred 15 Myr earlier than previously thought. The African provenance of Nyasasaurus parringtoni suggests a Pangaean origin for Dinosauria.
The original article may be found here.