Holding up the Tree

Image by Sterling Nesbitt

The allure of Asilisaurus is the fact that it is such a basic Middle Triassic early Dinosauriforme. Some trees have it sitting at the base of the Ornithodiran tree thereby including, potentially, Pterosauria. However, this tree, from lead author Sterling Nesbitt, places Asilisaurus outside the Pterosauria but at the base of all dinosaurs. Hopefully there is resolution with this tree. If not, it could, and probably is, actually in flux. Regardless, there is no popular culture life for Asilisaurus as yet, though it is a quite important fossil animal.