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ZoomDinosaurs.com
The Mesozoic Era (248 - 65 million years ago) Ages of the Mesozoic Era
Triassic Period
248 - 206 mya
First dinosaurs and mammals
Jurassic Period
206-144 mya
Many dinosaurs and the first birds
Cretaceous Period
144-65 mya
First flowering plants, the height of the dinosaurs. Ends in huge extinction.
Early - Middle
248-227 mya
Late
227-206 mya
Early
(Lias)

206-180 mya
Middle
(Dogger)

180-154 mya
Late
(Malm)

154-144 mya
Early
(Neocomian)

144-127 mya
Middle
(Gallic)

127-89 mya
Late
(Senonian)

89-65 mya

DINOSAURS (and other interesting fossils*) FROM THE MID TO LATE TRIASSIC

Plant-eating dinosaurs are in green; meat-eating dinosaurs are in red
Other animals are in black.


In the mid-Triassic, dinosaurs evolved from the thecodonts, which were socket-toothed, crocodile-like reptiles.

The first dinosaurs were small and lightly built, mostly about 10-15 feet long (3 to 4.5 m). They were bipedal carnivores or omnivores, and probably very agile and fast. Species, sorted by modern-day continent, included:

Africa











Africa
  • Aliwalia - a poorly-known early dinosaur 25 ft (8 m) long from South Africa.
  • Azendohsaurus - perhaps a prosauropod, 6 ft (1.8 m) long, from Morocco.
  • Blikanasaurus - a prosauropod (early quadrupedal plant-eater) from South Africa, 225-218 mya.
  • Euparkeria*- an archosauriform (a pre-dinosaurian reptile) from southern Africa).
  • Euskelosaurus - a plateosaurid prosauropod (early quadrupedal plant-eater) 30 ft (9 m) long, from South Africa and Zimbabwe, 220-215 mya.
  • Fabrosaurus - A primitive ornithischian (plant eater), 3 feet long. From the late triassic and early Jurassic, about 208-194 mya. From South Africa.
  • Lesothosaurus - "Lizard from Lesotho, South Africa," a 3-foot long, bipedal plant-eater. A very primitive ornithopod from the late Triassic and early Jurassic, 208-200 mya. From South Africa.
  • Likhoelesaurus - a poorly-known theropod (bipedal meat-eater) from South Africa, 225-208 mya.
  • Massospondylus - possibly the first herbivorous dinosaur. A prosauropod (Long-necked and lightly-built), 20 feet (6 m) long, from South Africa and Arizona, USA, 208-194 mya.
  • Mastodontosaurus - the largest labyrinthodont, 10.5 ft (3.2 m) long with sprawling legs. A fish-eater that lived near swamps and lakes. Fossils found in North Africa and Europe.
  • Melanorosaurus - A melanorosaurid prosauropod (Long-necked, quadrupedal plant-eater), 40 feet (12 m) long, from South Africa, 228-219 mya.
  • Megazostrodon - one of the earliest-known mammals, about 5 inches (12 cm) long. This insect-eater looked like a modern-day shrew. Found in Lesotho, South Africa.
  • Plesiosaurus - A marine reptile (a plesiosaur not a dinosaur) 10-13 ft (3-4 m) long. It had a long neck, flippers, sharp teeth, and a short tail. Late Triassic to Jurassic. Europe, North Africa, and Asia.
  • Roccosaurus - a large sauropod (plant-eater) from Africa, 225-208 mya.
Asia
  • Plesiosaurus - A marine reptile (a plesiosaur not a dinosaur) 10-13 ft (3-4 m) long. It had a long neck, flippers, sharp teeth, and a short tail. Late Triassic to Jurassic. Europe, North Africa, and Asia.
  • Proganochelys - the earliest-known turtle, 2 ft (60 cm) long. From Germany and Thailand.
Australia
  • Agrosaurus- a 10 feet (3 m) long prosauropod from northern Australia 225-213 mya, a quadrupedal plant-eater.
Europe








Europe
  • Camelotia - a large prosauropod (plant-eater) from England, 219-213 mya.
  • Coelurosaurichnus - a meat-eater known only from footprints
  • Dolichosuchus - a poorly-known theropod (bipedal meat-eater) from Germany, 223-221 mya.
  • Gerrothorax - a larval-like amphibian about 3 ft (1 m) long. It looked like a large tadpole with a short, wide head, two small, close-set eyes, small, webbed, four-fingered limbs, and a small tail.
  • Halticosaurus - a theropod (bipedal meat-eater) 18 ft (5.5 m) long, from Germany, 222 mya.
  • Liliensternus - a theropod (bipedal meat-eater) 16 ft (5 m) long, from Germany, 222-219 mya.
  • Haramayi - a very early mammal, about 5 inches (12 cm) long. This plant-eater is only known from a few teeth. Found in England and Germany.
  • Pachysauriscus - a medium-sized plateosaurid prosauropod (an early, long-necked quadrupedal plant-eater) from Germany, 225-208 mya.
  • Palaeosauriscus - a small plateosaurid prosauropod (an early, long-necked quadrupedal plant-eater) from England, 225-208 mya.
  • Plateochelys - a placodont (not a dinosaur) 6.5 ft (2 m) long. This water-dweller had a beak, a long, finned tail, webbed fingers, and flat teeth for crushing shellfish.
  • PlateosaurusPlateosaurus - the largest dinosaur in the Triassic, a long-necked, quadrupedal herbivore (a plateosaurid sauropod), 27 feet (8 m) long. Very common in Germany, France, and Switzerland, 222-219 mya.
  • Plesiosaurus - A marine reptile (a plesiosaur not a dinosaur) 10-13 ft (3-4 m) long. It had a long neck, flippers, sharp teeth, and a short tail. Late Triassic to Jurassic. Europe, North Africa, and Asia.
  • Procompsognathus - a small, lightly-built, fast-moving theropod (bipedal meat-eater) 3 ft (90 cm) long, from Württemberg, Germany, 222-219 mya.
  • Proganochelys - the earliest-known turtle, 2 ft (60 cm) long. From Germany and Thailand.
  • Ruehleia - a plateosaurid prosauropod from the late Triassic period.
  • SaltopusSaltopus - this theropod (bipedal meat-eater) was the size and weight of a small cat. From Scotland, 225-222 mya.
  • Saltoposuchus - a lightly-built, bipedal reptile (a Crocodylomorph and not a dinosaur) 3 ft 9 inches (1.15 m) long. This meat-eater had sharp, pointed teeth and two rows of armored plates on its back. Long back legs, short front legs, and a long tail. 210 million years ago, from Europe, North America.
  • Sellosaurus - a plateosaurid prosauropod (an early, long-necked quadrupedal plant-eater) 20 ft (6 m) long, from Germany, 219-208 mya.
  • Thecodontosaurus - a prosauropod (early quadrupedal plant-eater) from England, 225 mya.
  • Velocipes - a fast-running theropod (meat-eater) from Germany, 228-223 mya. Known only from part of a leg bone.
India
  • Walkeria- a small theropod (bipedal meat-eater) from India 231-225 mya.
North America











North America
  • Anchisaurus - a primitive plant-eater about 7-10 feet long, 200-188 mya. From eastern North America.
  • Arctosaurus- a theropod 10 feet (3 m) long from the arctic in North America, 231-208 mya.
  • Ceratosaurus - a "horned lizard". This early (225 million years old) theropod had bird-like features and was a meat eater, fast moving, and was up to 20 feet long. From Colorado.
  • Coelophysis - a herding theropod from the late Triassic, about 220-225 mya. It was a bipedal meat-eater and a cannibal. About 9 ft (3 m) long, it was light, fast, and agile. From western USA.
  • Dilophosaurus - a double-crested theropod from the late Triassic and early Jurassic, 208-194 mya. From Arizona.
  • Massospondylus - 208-204 million years old - possibly the first herbivorous dinosaur. Long-necked, 20 feet (6 M) long, from South Africa and Arizona, USA.
  • Protosuchus - One of the earliest crocodiles, 4 ft (1.25 m) long. Late-Triassic to early Jurassic, from Arizona, USA.
  • Revueltosaurus - a poorly-known ornithischian (plant-eater) from New Mexico, USA, 225-219 mya. Known from one tooth.
  • Rioarribasaurus - a theropod ( a bipedal meat-eater) and a cannibal. About 9 ft (3 m) long, it was light, fast, and agile. From western USA, 220-225 mya. May be the same as Coelophysis.
  • Saltoposuchus - a lightly-built, bipedal reptile (a Crocodylomorph and not a dinosaur) 3 ft 9 inches (1.15 m) long. This meat-eater had sharp, pointed teeth and two rows of armored plates on its back. Long back legs, short front legs, and a long tail. 210 million years ago, from Europe, North America.
  • Zatomus - a little-known large rauisuchians (meat-eating reptile) from North Carolina, USA, 225-208 mya.
South America







South America
  • Coloradisaurus - a 13 ft (4 m) long prosauropod (primitive plant-eater) from Argentina, 225-219 mya.
  • EoraptorEoraptor is the earliest known dinosaur, a primitive theropod (a bipedal meat-eater) about 3 feet (1 m) long. It lived about 228 million years ago. From Argentina.
  • Frenguellisaurus - a medium-sized theropod (meat-eater) from Argentina, 231-225 mya.
  • Herrerasaurus - Herrerasaurus is one of the earliest known dinosaurs. It was a bipedal meat-eater, 10 to 20 feet long, weighed about 400 pounds, and hunted in groups about 228 mya. From Argentina.
  • Ischisaurus - a herrerasaurid (very early meat-eater) from Argentina, 225 mya.
  • Mussaurus - a tiny plateosaurid prosauropod (primitive plant-eater) from Argentina, 215 mya.
  • Pisanosaurus - a small ornithischian (plant-eater) from Argentina, 231-225 mya.
  • Riojasaurus - a prosauropod from the late Triassic and early Jurassic, a heavily-built plant-eater 36 feet (11 m) long from Argentina, 225-219 mya.
  • Staurikosaurus - the "Southern Cross lizard," a bipedal carnivore the size and weight of a human adult (2 m long). From Brazil and Argentina, 231-225 million years old.

ZoomDinosaurs.com
The Mesozoic Era (248 - 65 million years ago) Ages of the Mesozoic Era
Triassic Period
248 - 206 mya
First dinosaurs and mammals
Jurassic Period
206-144 mya
Many dinosaurs and the first birds
Cretaceous Period
144-65 mya
First flowering plants, the height of the dinosaurs. Ends in huge extinction.
Early - Middle
248-227 mya
Late
227-206 mya
Early
(Lias)

206-180 mya
Middle
(Dogger)

180-154 mya
Late
(Malm)

154-144 mya
Early
(Neocomian)

144-127 mya
Middle
(Gallic)

127-89 mya
Late
(Senonian)

89-65 mya


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