Several early studies suggested that heterodontosaurids were very primitive ornithischians. Due to supposed similarities in the morphology of the forelimbs, Robert Bakker proposed a relationship between heterodontosaurids and early sauropodomorphs like Anchisaurus, bridging the orders Saurischia and Ornithischia.
The initial research suggested that heterodontosaurids were among the earliest members of ornithischians. Robert Bakker proposed a connection between heterodontosaurids and early sauropodomorphs like Anchisaurus, suggesting a link between the orders Saurischia and Ornithischia.