Jurassic
Lesothosaurus
Lesothosaurus diagnosticus
The catalogue presents Lesothosaurus as a herbivore member of Lesothosauridae that lived during the Jurassic, between 201.4–196.0 Ma. Its estimated range is 1.0–1.2 m in length and 3–5 kg in mass, giving a practical sense of scale. Reference material comes from Upper Elliot Formation, Lesotho. Size and mass are approximations and may change with new fossils or methods.
Evidence-backed summary
For Lesothosaurus, the PBDB records the taxonomic attribution as Galton (1978).
The PBDB places it in Thyreophora, and the catalogue record assigns it to the family Lesothosauridae.
- PBDB · taxon.parent
- Lesothosauridae
In the PBDB record, the reported stratigraphic range runs from the Hettangian to the Sinemurian.
The PBDB catalogues 6 occurrences, with material from the Elliot Formation (6). Provenance: Lesotho and South Africa.
The catalogue records the type locality as “Upper Elliot Formation, Lesotho”.
- Upper Elliot Formation, Lesotho
The catalogue's reference measurements are 1.0–1.2 m in length and 3–5 kg in mass — estimates, which vary with specimen and method.
- 1.0-1.2 m
- 3-5 kg
The record gathers 39 bibliographic references registered in the PBDB, listed below.
Where it lived
Fossil occurrences on today’s map and in the tectonic reconstruction.
Positions reconstructed by PBDB/GPlates, not observed; this is not an exact habitat map.
Artistic 3D reconstruction
There is no approved species-specific 3D model yet. Generic anatomy will not be presented as if it were evidence.
Physical Specifications
- Length
- 1.0–1.2 m
- Weight
- 3–5 kg
- Period
- Jurassic
- Time range
- 201.4–196.0 Ma
Discovery Information
- First Discovery
- 1978
- Described by
- Peter Galton
Taxonomic Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Reptilia
- Order
- Ornithischia
- Family
- Lesothosauridae
- Genus
- Lesothosaurus
- Species
- d. diagnosticus
Data status
Taxonomic name matched to PBDB and checked on 2026-08-08.
Taxonomic linkage does not automatically validate size, mass, behaviour or appearance.
- Type specimen
- not documented in this catalogue
- Type locality
- Upper Elliot Formation, Lesotho