兽脚类恐龙长掌义县龙的系统发育位置(英文)

长掌义县龙(Yixianosaurus longimanus)是发现于中国辽西下白垩统的一种小型兽脚类恐龙。最初的研究认为它代表一种进步的手盗龙类,但最近的一项研究工作质疑了这一系统发育假说,新的系统发育研究认为长掌义县龙代表一种原始的手盗龙类。鉴于长掌义县龙的系统位置会影响我们对兽脚类前肢和羽毛演化等关键问题的理解,因此需要评估哪一个系统发育假说更为可靠。本文评述了长掌义县龙所有可被用于系统发育研究的形态学特征,证明了这一小型兽脚类恐龙属于基干副鸟类,并很可能属于基干恐爪龙类。这一结论与最初的研究结果相吻合。这一系统位置也与长掌义县龙可能具片状羽毛相吻合,并且否定了手盗龙类前肢演化历史复杂的假说。     

辽宁西部早白垩世义县组一新的手盗龙类(英文)

我国辽西早白垩世热河群义县组和九佛堂组近年来产出大量恐龙化石 ,已知兽脚类恐龙包括 8属 1 0种 ,其中 6属 8种保存有原始羽毛或者羽毛结构。已经报道的属种均产自朝阳地区。 2 0 0 1年 ,中国科学院古脊椎动物与古人类研究所辽西野外考察队在邻近朝阳的锦州地区义县头台乡王家沟义县组下部采集到一件恐龙标本。这一标本保存了较为完整的肩带和前肢 ,在骨骼化石附近还保存了皮肤结构。通过研究对比 ,我们建立了手盗龙类的一个新属种 :长掌义县龙 (Yixianosauruslongimanusgen .etsp .nov .)。依据以下特征将长掌义县龙归入手盗龙类 :肩胛骨明显短于肱骨、肩臼窝的乌喙骨部分小、乌喙骨近四方形、尺骨向后弯曲以及挠骨细。长掌义县龙手部的相对长度以及手指各指节的相对比例不同于已知手盗龙类。原始兽脚类恐龙的手部一般短于肱骨 ;手盗龙手部加长 ,长于肱骨 ;原始鸟类的手部相对更长 ,但进步鸟类出现反转 ,手部次生变短。长掌义县龙手部的相对长度在非鸟兽脚类恐龙当中仅比原始祖鸟 (Protarchaeopteryx) (Jietal.,1 998)和树息龙 (Epidendrosaurus) (Zhangetal.,2 0 0 2 )短。次末端指节加长是兽脚类恐龙的一个进步特征 ,长掌义县龙具有这一特征。比如 ,长掌义县龙的手指指节Ⅱ 2长于掌骨Ⅱ ,在已知兽?     

辽西下白垩统九佛堂组尾羽龙类—新属(英文)

记述了一件采自辽西热河群九佛堂组一新的窃蛋龙类:义县似尾羽龙(Similicaudipteryx yixianensis gen.et sp.nov.),并依据其和尾羽龙属的相似特征,及其匕首状的尾综骨,肠骨、踱骨和脚趾的形态等将其归入窃蛋龙类的尾羽龙科,但其所具有的一些特征也不同于该科已建立的尾羽龙属,如尾综骨的形态和较大的个体等。该化石具有许多典型的窃蛋龙类的特征,如短尾、较短的前肢等,有别于其他窃蛋龙类的特征还包括耻骨和肠骨的长度比为1.46,背椎上发育2个大而深的椎体下突、背椎侧部具孔等。义县似尾羽龙是又一类具有真正尾综骨的恐龙,表明尾综骨这一曾经被认为是鸟类特有的结构可能是在恐龙中独自演化的。它具有一些进步的特征如具尾综骨等,但同时也具有一些原始的特征如5个愈合的荐椎,耻骨联合长,表明在窃蛋龙类中存在着特征的镶嵌进化现象。似尾羽龙与驰龙类、其他窃蛋龙类等恐龙一样,脚趾并没有对握,已有的证据说明完全的对握目前还只是出现于鸟类中。根据其短尾、中部收缩的趾骨和灵巧的身体等都表明它是一类适于快速奔跑的动物。目前为止,已知的尾羽龙类化石均发现于北票四合屯地区的义县组下部尖山沟层(段),距今约125Ma。新标本发现于义县西二虎桥地点,属于九佛堂组,距今约120Ma,这也是迄今为止在九佛堂组发现的惟一一件尾羽龙类化石,对研究早白垩世窃蛋龙类的演化和热河生物群恐龙组合的特征具有重要的意义。     

中国上白垩统窃蛋龙科一新属种(兽脚类:窃蛋龙类)(英文)

根据可能发现于江西赣州晚白垩世南雄组地层中一件标本报道了窃蛋龙科一新属种——斑嵴龙。新标本具有以下不同于其他窃蛋龙属种的特征:由前颌骨和鼻骨形成的脊冠具有阶梯状的后端,表面有两个纵向的沟槽和许多倾斜的条痕;外鼻孔延长,其后侧与眶骨相近;翼骨腭骨支背缘有一深窝;齿骨后背缘有纵向沟槽;上隅骨前背缘有小结节。斑嵴龙腭部和下颌的一些特征不同于窃蛋龙科的其他属种,但近似于更原始的窃蛋龙类。这些特征表明斑嵴龙代表窃蛋龙科中相对原始的一个属种。这一系统发育假说得到了定量的系统发育分析的支持。斑嵴龙的发现不仅增加了晚白垩世窃蛋龙科的分异度,而且为这一类群的特征演化提供了重要信息。     

内蒙古上白垩统二连组—长颈的镰刀龙类

镰刀龙类（又称“懒龙”）是一类奇特的植食性兽脚类恐龙,化石记录主要局限于亚洲白垩纪地层中。由于镰刀龙类极其特化的形态和化石材料的局限性,这类恐龙的系统位置存在较多的争议。最近的发现（Russell and Dong,1994;Xu et al.,1999）表明这类恐龙属于虚骨龙类,但其更为具体的系统位置依然存在争议（Sues,1997;Makovicky and Sues,1998;Xu et al.,1999;Sereno,1999）。新发现于内蒙古苏尼特左旗赛罕高毕上白垩统二连组的镰刀龙类化石材料代表这类恐龙的一个新属种。杨氏内蒙古龙（Neimongosaurus yangi gen.et sp.nov.）的正型标本为一较为完整的骨架,是已知镰刀龙类当中第一件在同一个体中保存了大多数脊椎和几乎所有肢骨的标本。依据以下特征将内蒙古龙归入镰刀龙超科：U形的下颌联合部、齿骨前端向下弯曲、齿骨前部没有牙齿、牙齿有一个收缩的基部、近圆形的齿根和叶形的齿冠、前部颈椎的神经脊低矮而轴向较长、后部颈椎背视呈X形、肱骨近端角状、肱骨有后转子、肱骨的尺骨髁和挠骨髁位于前部并为一狭窄槽分开、肠骨的耻骨柄细长而坐骨柄短以及跖部短。内蒙古龙的以下特征区别于其他镰刀龙类：前部尾椎的横突下部有一圆形的窝,桡骨二头肌结节点非常发育,后足践节近端跟部非常发育,胫骨的腓骨嵴长,明显超过胫骨长度的一半,肠骨髋臼前支外侧面转向背方,尾椎前关节突向两侧侧伸明显。镰刀龙类有一些未见于其他手盗龙类的特征,表明这类恐龙较为原始,可能和似鸟龙类关系较近（Sereno,1999）,但其他一些证据表明镰刀龙类较为进步,可能和窃蛋龙类关系较近（Makovicky and Sues,1998;Xu et al.,1999）。内蒙古龙高度气孔化的脊椎和进步的肩带形态表明镰刀龙类相当进步。其中加长的颈部和缩短的尾部等特征非常类似于窃蛋龙类。这些特征的发现支持了镰刀龙类和窃蛋龙类的系统关系较近的假说。     

记河北省后城组新发现之小型兽脚类足迹(英文)

几十年前人们就已经开始研究中国东北侏罗纪—白垩纪界线附近地层中的小型兽脚类恐龙足迹,虽然这些遗迹化石比辽宁省义县组带羽毛的恐龙及其他实体化石逊色了许多。本文记述了河北省承德南双庙后城组(土城子组)最下部河流相沉积中发现的一组兽脚类恐龙足迹。南双庙足迹具有三趾,趾粗大,其形态与美国下侏罗统经典的"brontozoid"足迹(Gral- lator,Anchisauripus和Eubrontes)相符。虽然许多产自辽宁土城子组中基本同时的brontozoid足迹被鉴定为小型的跷脚龙足迹属(Grallator),但南双庙足迹更大一些(全长可达28.8 cm),可能应该归入安琪龙足迹属(Anchisauripus)。南双庙足迹很可能是一群小型兽脚类行走而产生。在辽宁义县组的兽脚类恐龙中,最可能留下这类足迹的是小型的窃蛋龙类——尾羽龙(Caudipteryx)。不过这个解释还很勉强,因为这些足迹缺乏鉴定性特征,而且河北的后城组与辽宁的义县组之间还有一定的时间及地理间隔。     

早白垩世手盗龙类郝氏中鸟(恐龙:兽脚类)归入非鸟类似擅攀鸟龙类的再研究及擅攀鸟龙类和基干窃蛋龙类形态相似的讨论（英文）

手盗龙类郝氏中鸟(Zhongornis haoae)的标本只有一件,并且为幼年个体,其最初被归入鸟类。然而对其解剖学的重新研究显示,郝氏中鸟与窃蛋龙下目(Oviraptorosauria)和擅攀鸟龙科(Scansoriopterygidae)具有很多相似的形态特征。中鸟的尾部虽然有所退化,但仍然很长,本文认为其约有20枚尾椎,其尾部的形态和比例都与尾羽龙(Caudipteryx)和耀龙(Epidexipteryx)相似。中鸟与基干窃蛋龙类的相似之处还包括:头骨短而高,小手指退化。在小翼掌骨的大小、手指的比例、坐骨不发育背侧和腹侧突起方面,中鸟与擅攀鸟龙类相似,而明显区别于中生代的鸟类。基于上述相似的形态特征以及基干窃蛋龙类和擅攀鸟龙类共有的其他特征,提出了窃蛋龙类和擅攀鸟龙类之间具有较近亲缘关系的假说。分支系统学的研究表明,相比于窃蛋龙类,中鸟与擅攀鸟龙科之间的亲缘关系更近,中鸟和擅攀鸟龙类都具有伸长的前肢和脚爪。有关中鸟的分类位置及其与擅攀鸟龙科之间确切关系的研究,还需要新标本的发现;本文对中鸟分类位置的讨论,也说明了基于幼年个体进行新种命名时所存在的问题。     

窃蛋龙类果真是偷吃龙蛋的“贼”吗？

图１窃蛋龙类复原图窃蛋龙类是一组头骨较窄而高 ,高度气腔化 ,特别是颅顶部分骨骼的气腔化程度尤其强烈 ,多孔（具有大的眶前孔和下颌外孔） ,上下颌没有牙齿 ,在上颌的腭面上具有由上颌骨和锄骨构成的齿状突起 ,锐利的爪子等特征的小型（体长不超过３米）兽脚类恐龙（图１）。第一个化石骨架由美国中亚考察团于１９２３年在蒙古的西南戈壁所发现。当初发现时 ,骨架的下方有一窝蛋化石 ,加上由于在那个地区发现大量的原角龙类化石 ,因此 ,它的研究者奥斯本（Ｏｓｂｏｒｎ）在１９２４年发表的研究论文中 ,认为该小型兽脚类恐龙专门偷吃原角…     

辽宁西部早白垩世义县组一新驰龙类

我国辽西早白垩世义县组底部陆家屯层近年来产出大量恐龙和其他脊椎动物化石 ,其中包括兽脚类恐龙当中的伤齿龙类和窃蛋龙类 (Xu ,2 0 0 2 )。本文报道该层位产出的一件驰龙类化石标本。通过对比研究 ,我们确认这一标本不同于热河群已知的其他 3种驰龙类 ,并建立了驰龙类的一个新属种 :陆家屯纤细盗龙 (Graciliraptorlujiatunensisgen .etsp .nov .)。驰龙类最初发现于北美晚白垩世地层中 (MatthewandBrown ,1 92 2 ) ,随后在蒙古晚白垩世地层中也有发现 (Osborn ,1 92 4 ) ;现在已知驰龙类的化石记录主要集中在北美和中亚地区的白垩纪地层中 (Xu ,2 0 0 2 )。千禧中国鸟龙 (Sinornithosaurusmillenii)曾代表最早的确定无疑的驰龙属种 (Xuetal.,1 999) ,其生存时代大约为 1 2 5Ma (Swisheretal.,1 999)。陆家屯纤细盗龙正型标本产于义县组底部陆家屯层 ,其上覆和下伏岩层的同位素年代分别为 1 2 8Ma和 1 39Ma (Swisheretal.,2 0 0 1 )。因此 ,陆家屯纤细盗龙代表已知最早的驰龙属种。陆家屯纤细盗龙和其他驰龙类共享以下近裔特征 :尾椎前关节突和脉弧极度加长、上颌齿后缘锯齿明显大于前缘锯齿和指节III- 2明显缩短。陆家屯纤细盗龙的以下近裔特征区别于其他驰龙类 :中部尾椎有一板状结构连接左右后关节     

云南禄丰发现亚洲首个腔骨龙类恐龙

<正>腔骨龙类属于基干兽脚类恐龙,体型较小,仅发现于晚三叠世和早侏罗世,在北美和非洲具有丰富的化石记录。2014年10月,中科院古脊椎动物与古人类研究所尤海鲁等在国际刊物《动物分类学》(Zootaxa)上报道了在云南禄丰早侏罗世地层中发现的一具保存较好的腔骨龙类恐龙新属种:禄丰盘古盗龙(Panguraptor lufengensis)。这是腔骨龙类化石在亚洲的首次发现,对研究该类恐龙的演化和分布,乃至早期     

PHYLOGENETIC ANALYSIS OF REPRODUCTIVE TRAITS OF MANIRAPTORAN THEROPODS AND ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR EGG PARATAXONOMY

Abstract:  A phylogenetic analysis of reproductive and oological (egg) traits of theropod taxa allows determination of the sequence in which these traits evolved in Theropoda. Our results indicate that several avian reproductive traits, such as adults sitting on eggs, asymmetrical eggs, unornamented eggshell surface, and complex eggshell ultrastructure, were already present in non-avian maniraptorans, and could have evolved in more basal theropods. In addition, non-avian maniraptorans laid two eggs at a time and orientated their eggs subvertically or subhorizontally in their nests, features not retained by neornithine birds. Based on our cladistic analysis it is also possible to infer the phylogenetic affinity of ootaxa of unknown parentage: Protoceratopsidovum was laid by a maniraptoran more derived than oviraptorids, and Parvoolithus probably belonged to a Cretaceous bird. Finally, our analysis reveals that many of the high-level categories of egg parataxonomy (morphotypes and basic types) are unnatural groupings (i.e. non-monophyletic). We recommend that these high-level categories be abandoned because oofamilies are sufficient to categorize egg taxa.     

BODY AND LIMB SIZE DISSOCIATION AT THE ORIGIN OF BIRDS: UNCOUPLING ALLOMETRIC CONSTRAINTS ACROSS A MACROEVOLUTIONARY TRANSITION

The origin of birds and powered flight is a classic major evolutionary transition. Research on their origin often focuses on the evolution of the wing with trends of forelimb elongation traced back through many nonavian maniraptoran dinosaurs. We present evidence that the relative forelimb elongation within avian antecedents is primarily due to allometry and is instead driven by a reduction in body size. Once body size is factored out, there is no trend of increasing forelimb length until the origin of birds. We report that early birds and nonavian theropods have significantly different scaling relationships within the forelimb and hindlimb skeleton. Ancestral forelimb and hindlimb allometric scaling to body size is rapidly decoupled at the origin of birds, when wings significantly elongate, by evolving a positive allometric relationship with body size from an ancestrally negative allometric pattern and legs significantly shorten by keeping a similar, near isometric relationship but with a reduced intercept. These results have implications for the evolution of powered flight and early diversification of birds. They suggest that their limb lengths first had to be dissociated from general body size scaling before expanding to the wide range of fore and hindlimb shapes and sizes present in today's birds.     

HIGH RATES OF EVOLUTION PRECEDED THE ORIGIN OF BIRDS

The origin of birds (Aves) is one of the great evolutionary transitions. Fossils show that many unique morphological features of modern birds, such as feathers, reduction in body size, and the semilunate carpal, long preceded the origin of clade Aves, but some may be unique to Aves, such as relative elongation of the forelimb. We study the evolution of body size and forelimb length across the phylogeny of coelurosaurian theropods and Mesozoic Aves. Using recently developed phylogenetic comparative methods, we find an increase in rates of body size and body size dependent forelimb evolution leading to small body size relative to forelimb length in Paraves, the wider clade comprising Aves and Deinonychosauria. The high evolutionary rates arose primarily from a reduction in body size, as there were no increased rates of forelimb evolution. In line with a recent study, we find evidence that Aves appear to have a unique relationship between body size and forelimb dimensions. Traits associated with Aves evolved before their origin, at high rates, and support the notion that numerous lineages of paravians were experimenting with different modes of flight through the Late Jurassic and Early Cretaceous.     

Gravity-defying Behaviors: Identifying Models for Protoaves

Most current phylogenetic hypotheses based upon cladistic methodologyassert that birds are the direct descendants of derived maniraptorantheropod dinosaurs, and that the origin of avian flight necessarilydeveloped within a terrestrial context (i.e., from the "groundup"). Most theoretical aerodynamic and energetic models or chronologicallyappropriate fossil data do not support these hypotheses forthe evolution of powered flight. The more traditional modelfor the origin of flight derives birds from among small arborealearly Mesozoic archosaurs ("thecodonts"). According to thismodel, protoavian ancestors developed flight in the trees viaa series of intermediate stages, such as leaping, parachuting,gliding, and flapping. This model benefits from the assemblageof living and extinct arboreal vertebrates that engage in analogousnon-powered aerial activities using elevation as a source ofgravitational energy. Recent reports of "feathered theropods"notwithstanding, the evolution of birds from any known groupof maniraptoran theropods remains equivocal.     

First report of dinosaurian claws from the Late Triassic of India

The Late Triassic Tiki Formation has yielded five isolated nearly complete claws or ungual phalanges from a fossil locality, which are described in detail and compared with other Late Triassic tetrapods. Of these, four ungual phalanges are slender, asymmetric, ventrally recurved, transversely compressed, and contain deep collateral grooves on either side, a low median keel on the proximal articular surface and a prominent proximoventral flexor tubercle showing their high similarity to the theropod dinosaurs. The remaining claw is unlike that of any theropods in terms of high robusticity and near symmetry. However, as in dinosaurs it is ventrally recurved and contains deep lateral grooves, a small flexor tubercle, lateromedially extended proximal articular surface with a distinct median keel and is considered as belonging to an indeterminate dinosaur. Although it is not possible to ascertain whether the unguals belong to a single taxon or multiple taxa, this new find points towards the presence of small dinosaurs in the Late Triassic Tiki fauna.     

FORELIMB FUNCTION IN ORNITHOLESTES HERMANNI OSBORN (DINOSAURIA, THEROPODA)

Abstract:  Ornitholestes hermanni is a Late Jurassic theropod dinosaur from North America. This kinematic study of Ornitholestes uses manual manipulations of forelimb casts to determine range of motion. The manual phalanges of the O. hermanni holotype, previously unidentified, are here identified as phalanges I-1, I-2 (ungual), II-2 and II-3 (ungual). At all represented manual joints, hyperextensibility is small or absent, whereas flexion is strong, as in most other theropods. The elbow can be strongly flexed beyond a right angle. When data on range of forelimb motion in Ornitholestes are added to such data from other theropods, high elbow flexion is present in maniraptoriform coelurosaurs but not in basal theropods. Forelimb functions requiring strong elbow flexion (such as holding objects to the chest, or tucking the forearms in for their protection or to reduce wind resistance or heat loss) were therefore available to maniraptoriform coelurosaurs but not to basal theropods.     

The geometry of taking flight: Limb morphometrics in Mesozoic theropods

Theropoda was one of the most successful dinosaurian clades during the Mesozoic and has remained a dominant component of faunas throughout the Cenozoic, with nearly 10,000 extant representatives. The discovery of Archaeopteryx provides evidence that avian theropods evolved at least 155 million years ago and that more than half of the tenure of avian theropods on Earth was during the Mesozoic. Considering the major changes in niche occupation for theropods resulting from the evolution of arboreal and flight capabilities, we have analyzed forelimb and hindlimb proportions among nonmaniraptoriform theropods, nonavian maniraptoriforms, and basal avialans using reduced major axis regressions, principal components analysis, canonical variates analysis, and discriminant function analysis. Our study is the first analysis on theropod limb proportions to apply phylogenetic independent contrasts and size corrections to the data to ensure that all the data are statistically independent and amenable to statistical analyses. The three ordination analyses we performed did not show any significant groupings or deviations between nonavian theropods and Mesozoic avian forms when including all limb elements. However, the bivariate regression analyses did show some significant trends between individual elements that suggested evolutionary trends of increased forelimb length relative to hindlimb length from nonmaniraptoriform theropods to nonavian maniraptoriforms to basal avialans. The increase in disparity and divergence away from the nonavian theropod body plan is well documented within Cenozoic forms. The lack of significant groupings among Mesozoic forms when examining the entire theropod body plan concurrently suggests that nonavian theropods and avian theropods did not substantially diverge in limb proportions until the Cenozoic. J. Morphol. 276:152–166, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Martharaptor greenriverensis, a New Theropod Dinosaur from the Lower Cretaceous of Utah

Background

The Yellow Cat Member of the Cedar Mountain Formation (Early Cretaceous, Barremian?) of Utah has yielded a rich dinosaur fauna, including the basal therizinosauroid theropod Falcarius utahensis at its base. Recent excavation uncovered a new possible therizinosauroid taxon from a higher stratigraphic level in the Cedar Mountain Formation than F. utahensis.

Methodology/Principal Findings

Here we describe a fragmentary skeleton of the new theropod and perform a phylogenetic analysis to determine its phylogenetic position. The skeleton includes fragments of vertebrae, a scapula, forelimb and hindlimb bones, and an ischium. It also includes several well-preserved manual unguals. Manual and pedal morphology show that the specimen is distinct from other theropods from the Cedar Mountain Formation and from previously described therizinosauroids. It is here named as the holotype of a new genus and species, Martharaptor greenriverensis. Phylogenetic analysis places M. greenriverensis within Therizinosauroidea as the sister taxon to Alxasaurus + Therizinosauridae, although support for this placement is weak.

Conclusions/Significance

The new specimen adds to the known dinosaurian fauna of the Yellow Cat Member of the Cedar Mountain Formation. If the phylogenetic placement is correct, it also adds to the known diversity of Therizinosauroidea.     

UNIQUE MANIRAPTORAN EGG CLUTCH FROM THE UPPER CRETACEOUS TWO MEDICINE FORMATION OF MONTANA REVEALS THEROPOD NESTING BEHAVIOUR

Abstract: Egg clutches of non‐avian maniraptoran theropods (Dinosauria) are rare, particularly in North America where those of Troodon formosus are the only maniraptoran clutches known. Here we describe a new partial maniraptoran clutch and nesting trace referred to Montanoolithus strongorum oogen. et oosp. nov. (Montanoolithidae oofam. nov.), from the Upper Cretaceous Two Medicine Formation of Montana. Based on a cladistic analysis of reproductive traits, we infer that this clutch belonged either to a caenagnathid or to a dromaeosaurid, which makes it the first clutch known of either taxon. This specimen preserves impressions and eggshell fragments of at least five eggs on a nest structure. The eggs are asymmetrical, paired, and lay radially in a ring configuration on the sloped sides of a bioturbated, flat‐topped sandstone mound. Geology of the locality indicates the female nested in a poorly‐vegetated area of freshly deposited sand, possibly near an active river channel. This clutch reveals that the egg‐layer of Montanoolithus strongorum had a unique suite of reproductive characteristics and nesting behaviours among maniraptorans.     

CONVERGENT AND CORRELATED EVOLUTION OF MAJOR LIFE‐HISTORY TRAITS IN THE ANGIOSPERM GENUS LEUCADENDRON (PROTEACEAE)

Natural selection is expected to cause convergence of life histories among taxa as well as correlated evolution of different life‐history traits. Here, we quantify the extent of convergence of five key life‐history traits (adult fire survival, seed storage, degree of sexual dimorphism, pollination mode, and seed‐dispersal mode) and test hypotheses about their correlated evolution in the genus Leucadendron (Proteaceae) from the fire‐prone South African fynbos. We reconstructed a new molecular phylogeny of this highly diverse genus that involves more taxa and molecular markers than previously. This reconstruction identifies new clades that were not detected by previous molecular study and morphological classifications. Using this new phylogeny and robust methods that account for phylogenetic uncertainty, we show that the five life‐history traits studied were labile during the evolutionary history of the genus. This diversity allowed us to tackle major questions about the correlated evolution of life‐history strategies. We found that species with longer seed‐dispersal distances tended to evolve lower pollen‐dispersal distance, that insect‐pollinated species evolved decreased sexual dimorphism, and that species with a persistent soil seed‐bank evolved toward reduced fire‐survival ability of adults.