Progenitor

Well, imagine that there is a big family tree with all the creatures that ever existed in the world. Just like you have a mom and dad who gave birth to you and you will have children who will be a part of your family tree, every animal also has parents, grandparents, and so on.

Now, a progenitor is the first of its kind. It's like the grandparent to all the similar creatures that exist. For example, a dinosaur egg that hatched into the first feathered dinosaur on the planet is the progenitor of all feathered dinosaurs that came after it.

By studying the progenitor, scientists can learn a lot about the features and traits that were passed down to all other creatures in the same family tree. So, a progenitor is like the very first member of a family, who sets the stage for all the others who come later.