Triassic
Nyasasaurus
Nyasasaurus parringtoni
The catalogue presents Nyasasaurus as a omnivore member of Nyasasauridae that lived during the Triassic, between 243 Ma. Its estimated range is 3.0 m in length and 60 kg in mass, giving a practical sense of scale. Reference material comes from Tanzania. Size and mass are approximations and may change with new fossils or methods.
Evidence-backed summary
For Nyasasaurus, the PBDB records the taxonomic attribution as Charig (1967).
The PBDB places it in Dinosauria, and the catalogue record assigns it to the family Nyasasauridae.
- PBDB · taxon.parent
- Nyasasauridae
In the PBDB record, the reported stratigraphic range is the Anisian.
The PBDB catalogues 2 occurrences, with material from the Manda Beds Formation (2). Provenance: Tanzania.
The catalogue records the holotype as NHMUK PV R6856 and the type locality as “Tanzania”.
- NHMUK PV R6856
- Tanzania
The catalogue's reference measurements are 3.0 m in length and 60 kg in mass — estimates, which vary with specimen and method.
- 3.0 m
- 60 kg
The record gathers 3 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
- 3.0 m
- Weight
- 60 kg
- Period
- Triassic
- Time range
- 243 Ma
Discovery Information
- First Discovery
- 1956
- Described by
- Alan Charig
Taxonomic Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Reptilia
- Order
- Saurischia
- Family
- Nyasasauridae
- Genus
- Nyasasaurus
- Species
- N. parringtoni
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
- NHMUK PV R6856
- Type locality
- Tanzania