Triassic dinosaur list, with pictures and facts.
A list of some of the most well-known Triassic Period dinosaurs, along with images and information on each, can be found on this page.
Triassic Dinosaurs: Introduction
(Scroll down to see the dinosaurs!)
The Mesozoic Era’s initial era was the Triassic. The first dinosaurs evolved during the Triassic Period. They walked on two legs and were mostly small, nimble creatures. They looked a lot like their reptile ancestors, with little variation.
The dinosaurs hadn’t yet taken over as dominant terrestrial creatures during the Triassic Period. Pseudosuchians, a group of crocodile-like reptiles, were the top predators instead.
The archosaurs, a group of reptiles, include both the pseudosuchians and the dinosaurs. The dinosaurs would not establish dominance over their archosaurian relatives until the Jurassic Period, which followed the Triassic Period.
Let’s meet some Triassic dinosaurs…
List of Dinosaurs of the Triassic Period
Alwalkeria
- Type of dinosaur: Saurischian, early theropod
- Existed: 228 Ma
- Where found: India
- Estimated length: 50 cm (1.6 ft.)
Alwalkeria is a little saurischian dinosaur. The name was inspired by Alick Walker, an English paleontologist. Bipedal (i.e., omnivorous) organisms Alwalkeria possessed two legs (which it used to walk).
A single, fragmented skeleton tells us everything we know about Alwalkeria.
Asylosaurus
- Type of dinosaur: Saurischian, early theropod
- Existed: lived during the Rhaetian age (somewhere between 208.5 and 201.3 Ma)
- Where found: Bristol, England
- Estimated length: 2 m (6 ft. 7 in)
Sauropod Asylosaurus was a primitive sauropod. A partial skeleton discovered in Bristol, England, in the 19th century is all we know about this dinosaur.
Camposaurus
- Type of dinosaur: Theropod
- Existed: 220 Ma
- Where found: Bluewater Creek Formation, Arizona, USA
- Estimated length: unknown
The Norian age of the Late Triassic epoch saw the creation of Camposaurus, a tiny theropod dinosaur. We can conclude that it was a little meat-eater based on the partial lower leg bones discovered in Arizona, USA (the sole known remains of this animal).
Chindesaurus
- Type of dinosaur: Saurischian
- Existed: 235-210 Ma
- Where found: USA
- Estimated length: 2 – 2.3 m (6.6 – 7.5 ft.)
An early saurischian dinosaur named Chindesaurus. It existed in what is now the United States.
This genus has only been found in six specimens. Bryan Small discovered the first of these in the Chinle Formation in Apache County, Arizona, in 1984. New Mexico and Texas have also yielded additional examples.
The herrerasaurus (see below) and Chindesaurus are both part of the Herrerasauridae family.
Coelophysis
- Type of dinosaur: Theropod
- Existed: 225-190 Ma
- Where found: southwestern United States, southern Africa
- Estimated length: 3 m (9.8 ft.)
Theropod dinosaurs Coelophysis and tyrannosaurus. It was swift and agile, with two legs.
Coelophysis possessed serrated, bent teeth as well as grasping claws. One specimen had the bones of a juvenile crocodile inside its rib cage, indicating that it was carnivorous.
Coelophysis has been found in large numbers together. This leads to the conclusion that it was a pack animal, maybe cooperating in order to bring down bigger animals.
The furcula bone in Coelophysis is the oldest known in a dinosaur. The furcular is also known as the wishbone and is part of the bird’s flight mechanism. Birds (which are now recognized to have descended from theropod dinosaurs)
Coloradisaurus
(No image available)
- Type of dinosaur: Sauropod
- Existed: Late Triassic, 227-210 Mya
- Where found: Los Colorados Formation, Argentina
- Estimated length: 4m (13.1 ft.)
Sauropod Coloradisaurus existed during the early sauropods. It resembled a miniature version of later sauropods, such as Diplodocus, which would grow to enormous sizes, with a long neck and tail and four thick legs.
In 1978, Argentine paleontologist Jose F. Coloradisaurus discovered the animal. Bonaparte was the name of the man. In Argentina’s Los Colorados Formation, the discovery was made.
Daemonosaurus
- Type of dinosaur: Theropod
- Existed: Late Triassic, 208 to 201 Mya
- Where found: Ghost Ranch, Chinle Formation, New Mexico
- Estimated length: 1.5-2.2 m (5-7ft.)
In the Rhaetian period of the Late Triassic, Daemonosaurus was a tiny theropod. The large eyes and short, blunt snout of this unusual-looking dinosaur were both protruding.
Eocursor
- Type of dinosaur: Ornithischian
- Existed: Late Triassic (possibly Early Jurassic)
- Where found: Lower Elliot Formation, South Africa
- Estimated length: 1 m (3 ft.)
One of the earliest ornithischians was Eocursor. It lived during the end of the Triassic Period or the beginning of the Jurassic Period, and was a tiny bipedal dinosaur. It was native to what is now South Africa.
Eoraptor
- Type of dinosaur: Theropod
- Existed: Late Triassic, 231-228 Mya
- Where found: Argentina
- Estimated length: 1 m (3.25 ft.)
Eoraptor, a little bipedal theropod that lived in what is now northwest Argentina, was a small bipedal theropod. It was the first of its kind to develop, and it did so millions of years ago. It appeared to be a tiny replica of the terrifying theropods that ruled the land during the Jurassic and Cretaceous epochs.
Gojirasaurus
- Type of dinosaur: Theropod
- Existed: Late Triassic Period, 210 Mya
- Where found: New Mexico, USA
- Estimated length: 5.5 m (18 ft.)
One of the biggest meat-eating Triassic dinosaurs was Gojirasaurus, which means “Godzilla Lizard.” Kenneth Carpenter, a paleontologist, discovered it and named the genus after the Japanese monster Godzilla.
Herrerasaurus
- Type of dinosaur: Early theropod
- Existed: Late Triassic Period, 228 Mya
- Where found: Argentina
- Estimated length: 3 m (9.8 ft.)
One of the earliest dinosaurs, Herrerasaurus, was an early theropod. It coexisted alongside eoraptor and lived in the same time and place. It was a mid-sized, speedy predatory dinosaur.
Liliensternus
- Type of dinosaur: Theropod
- Existed: Late Triassic, 210 Mya
- Where found: Trossingen Formation, Thuringia, Germany
- Estimated length: 5.15 m (16.9 ft.)
Liliensternus, a member of the Triassic theropod family, grew to be over 5 meters (16.4 feet) long. A crest on its head may have been present for this long-tailed, long-necked predator. Plateosaurus (see below) was a plant-eating dinosaur that would have been preyed on by this swift, active hunter.
Lycorhinus
- Type of dinosaur: Ornithischian
- Existed: Late Triassic, 205-195 Mya
- Where found: Elliot Formation, Cape Province, South Africa
- Estimated length: 1.2 m (3.94 ft.)
In the Late Triassic Period, Lycorhinus was a tiny herbivorous dinosaur. It has canine teeth that are tusk-like in shape. The fossil was thought to be an early mammal at first, because of the scientific name given to it.
Melanorosaurus
- Type of dinosaur: Sauropodomorph (early sauropod)
- Existed: 227-221 Mya
- Where found: South Africa
- Estimated length: 8 m (26 ft.)
Melanorosaurus, a huge herbivore, was one of them. It was one of the largest dinosaurs of its day, with a lengthy neck and tail as well as four robust legs.
Mussaurus
- Type of dinosaur: Sauropodomorph (early sauropod)
- Existed: 215–203 Mya
- Where found: Southern Argentina
- Estimated length: 3 m (10 ft.)
Mussaurus, like other Triassic sauropodomorphs, was a forerunner of the dinosaurs Brachiosaurus and Apatosaurus, among others. Despite its name, Mussaurus means “mouse lizard,” and it grew to lengths of 3 meters (10 feet) and weights of 70 kilograms (150 pounds).
Pantydraco
- Type of dinosaur: Sauropodomorph (early sauropod)
- Existed: Late Triassic
- Where found: Bonvilston in South Wales, UK
- Estimated length: 3 m (10 ft.)
Pantydraco is named after the Welsh term Pant-y-ffynnon, which means well or spring, and draco, which means dragon. In Wales, a Late Triassic sauropodomorph was discovered. It has yet to be discovered if there are any more.
Pisanosaurus
- Type of dinosaur: Ornithischian (see below)
- Existed: Late Triassic, 228–216.5 Mya
- Where found: South America
- Estimated length: 1 m (3.3 ft.)
Pisanosaurus is thought to be the earliest known ornithischian by some researchers. Since it has many reptile characteristics, some scientists believe it’s a reptile cousin rather than a dinosaur.
Although Pisanosaurus lived millions of years later than other dinosaurs, it seems to have a chewing mechanism that other dinosaurs did not. It’s unclear if it got this characteristic on its own or whether it’s linked to future ornithischian dinosaurs.
Plateosaurus
- Type of dinosaur: Sauropodomorph
- Existed: Late Triassic, 214–204 Mya
- Where found: Northern Europe, Greenland
- Estimated length: 5-10 m (16.4 to 33 ft.)
With almost 100 Plateosaurus skeletons discovered, it is one of the most common European dinosaurs. On the continent, it has been discovered in a number of areas. One of the earliest dinosaurs to be described was Plateosaurus.
A bipedal plant-eater called Plateosaurus existed. It is likely to have been a herd animal based on the large number of specimens found together in certain areas.
Riojasaurus
- Type of dinosaur: Sauropodomorph
- Existed: Late Triassic, 221-210 Mya
- Where found: Los Colorados Formation, Argentina
- Estimated length: 10 m (33 ft.)
In the Late Triassic, Riojasaurus reigned supreme in South America as a huge sauropodomorph.
A skull was not present in the first Riojasaurus specimen. A skull would not be discovered for many decades later! There are now over 20 people who have been discovered.
Saturnalia
- Type of dinosaur: Sauropodomorph
- Existed: Late Triassic, 233.23 Mya
- Where found: Santa Maria Formation, southern Brazil; Pebbly Arkose Formation, Zimbabwe
- Estimated length: 1.5 m (5ft.)
Saturnalia is one of the earliest known herbivorous dinosaurs as well as one of the first known dinosaurs. It (and others similar to it) filled the plant-eating niche that had been left empty after the once-abundant Dicynodonts (the forerunners of mammals) mysteriously vanished.
Staurikosaurus
- Type of dinosaur: Saurischian
- Existed: Late Triassic, 233.23 Mya
- Where found: Santa Maria Formation, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
- Estimated length: 2.25 m (7 ft. 5 in)
A small bipedal meat-eater known as Staurikosaurus. It lived during the period when dinosaurs were still relatively new. It has a longer neck and a lighter build than herrerasaurus, but it is closely related to it. Some researchers, on the other hand, think herrerasaurus is the same species.
Thecodontosaurus
- Type of dinosaur: Sauropodomorph (an early sauropod)
- Existed: Late Triassic 203.6-201.3 Mya
- Where found: England
- Estimated length: 2 m (6.5 ft.)
The fifth dinosaur to be named was Thecodontosaurus. Just a jaw bone with some teeth were discovered in the first specimen. The word means “Socket-Toothed Lizard,” as it sounds. There are now over 200 specimens in existence.
The Triassic dinosaur Thecodontosaurus was rather tiny. It may have been able to walk on all fours and hind legs alone as well.
Triassic Dinosaurs List: Conclusion
We hope you’ve found out something about some of the fantastic dinosaurs that lived during the Triassic Era.