Miniature, insect-eating ancestor of dinosaurs unearthed in Madagascar

Kongonaphon lived 237m years ago and paved way for gigantic successors, scientists say

A small, insect-eating reptile that lived 237m years ago was a miniature ancestor of the giant dinosaurs that went on to dominate the Earth, according to scientists examining fossils in Madagascar.

The Kongonaphon kely measured about 40cm (16in) long and stood 10 cm (4in) tall at the hip, scientists said on Monday. It inhabited a floodplain region of what is now south-western Madagascar during the Triassic period about 237m years ago.