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Dinosaur genus

Massospondylus

Owen 1854

Massospondylus is a dinosaur genus known from bones, found in rocks 227.3–174.7 million years old, in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Lesotho.

Confidence labels
How sure are we?6 high9 medium5 lowHow we rate confidence

Confidence labels are switched off. Facts with low confidence, or where sources disagree, still carry a small dot: tap it for the reason.

At a glance

Data as of 12 October 2026
227.3–174.7 Ma
Triassic
Jurassic
Cretaceous
252 million years ago20114366

Solid: the ages of its dated fossils, 227.3–174.7 million years ago (Omnisaura's calculation). Pale: the published range, 237–174.7 million years ago, which also counts records Omnisaura leaves out.

The last non-bird dinosaurs died out 66 million years ago. That's as far from us as the end of this bar.

Named by
Owen 1854
highhigh: PBDB and Wikidata agree.
Sources

Given by: Paleobiology Database. How it was chosen: PBDB leads.

Described in
R. Owen (1854). Descriptive catalogue of the Fossil organic remains of Reptilia and Pisces contained in the Museum of the Royal College of Surgeons of England. London: 1–184.
highhigh: PBDB gives this publication for the name; its author and year match the naming authority (Owen 1854), on which PBDB and Wikidata agree.
Sources

Given by: Paleobiology Database. The publication the Paleobiology Database gives as the authority for this genus name, usually the one that first named and described it.

Type species
Massospondylus carinatus
mediummedium: Only PBDB gives this; nothing contradicts it.
Sources

Given by: Paleobiology Database. How it was chosen: PBDB leads.

Lived
Carnian to Toarcian, 237–174.7 million years ago
highhigh: PBDB and NHM agree.
Omnisaura calculation227.3–174.7 million years ago, from its dated fossil records
mediummedium: Omnisaura's calculation from 35 confirmed PBDB records.
Sources

Given by: Paleobiology Database. How it was chosen: PBDB leads.

Fossils found in
Lesotho
highhigh: NHM and PBDB both record it.
South Africa
highhigh: NHM and PBDB both record it.
Zimbabwe
mediummedium: Only PBDB records it (13 records).
mixedmixed: Levels differ between entries; each has its own.
Sources

Given by: Paleobiology Database; Natural History Museum Data Portal. How it was chosen: Union of all sources (ISO 3166).

Rock formations
Elliot Formation
highhigh: NHM and PBDB both record it.
Clarens
mediummedium: Only PBDB records it (4 records).
Forest Sandstone
mediummedium: Only PBDB records it (3 records).
Mpandi
mediummedium: Only PBDB records it (8 records).
Etjo
lowlow: Only one PBDB record.
Pebbly Arkose
lowlow: Only one PBDB record.
Red Beds
disputedlow: Only NHM gives this name and it matches no PBDB formation; awaiting an editor.
Upper Elliott Formation
disputedlow: Only NHM gives this name and it matches no PBDB formation; awaiting an editor.
Upper Karroo Sandstone
lowlow: Only one PBDB record.
mixedmixed: Levels differ between entries; each has its own.
Sources

Given by: Paleobiology Database; Natural History Museum Data Portal. How it was chosen: Canonical names, automatic and editor-approved matches applied.

Family
Massospondylidae
mediummedium: Only PBDB gives this; nothing contradicts it.
Sources

Given by: Paleobiology Database. How it was chosen: PBDB leads.

Parent group
Massospondylidae
mediummedium: Only PBDB gives this; nothing contradicts it.
Sources

Given by: Paleobiology Database. How it was chosen: PBDB leads.

Order
Saurischia
mediummedium: Only NHM gives this; nothing contradicts it.
Sources

Given by: Natural History Museum Data Portal. How it was chosen: Gap filled from NHM.

Known from
Bones
Sources

Given by: Paleobiology Database (what the name was based on).

Sources: Paleobiology Database (CC BY 4.0), Natural History Museum Data Portal (CC0 1.0), Wikidata (CC0 1.0)Confidence levels and gaps are Omnisaura's own assessment.

Gaps are answers

What isn't known yet

  • Common names: no source we use gives it yet.
  • What it was named after: no source we use gives it yet.
  • Held back: 44 fossil records left out: identified only tentatively (for example "cf." or "?").
  • Held back: 1 fossil record left out: identified only to a broader group, not to this genus.
  • Resting on one source: 4 facts come from a single source with nothing against them (rated medium): type species (PBDB); parent group (PBDB); family (PBDB); order (NHM).

Size, diet and behaviour aren't covered yet. Omnisaura leaves them out rather than guess.

Where sources disagree

2 open

Formations

  • NonePBDB
  • Red BedsNHM

One source names a formation the other does not. An editor hasn't ruled yet, so this is rated low until they do.

Formations

  • NonePBDB
  • Upper Elliott FormationNHM

One source names a formation the other does not. An editor hasn't ruled yet, so this is rated low until they do.

Did it meet…?

?

No. Massospondylus had gone at least 91.1 million years before Tyrannosaurus appears in the fossil record, a longer gap than the 66 million years between Tyrannosaurus and today.

Going by the ages and rock formations of their dated fossils, as on the map. Compare their fossil sites on the map.

Lived alongside

Genera found in the same rock formations, from rocks of the same age.

GrallatorLesothosaurusAnomoepusEubrontesMegapnosaurusSyntarsusHeterodontosaurusAntetonitrusIgnavusaurusKalosauropusKayentapusLycorhinusThecodontosaurusTrisauropodiscusAardonyxAbrictosaurusand 7 more

Same family

Other genera in Massospondylidae with a full profile.

AdeopapposaurusColoradisaurusIgnavusaurusLufengosaurusSarahsaurus

Credits

Where this page comes from

  • Paleobiology DatabaseCC BY 4.0 · fossil records, ages, classification
  • Natural History Museum Data PortalCC0 1.0 · catalogued specimens
  • WikidataCC0 1.0 · names and identifiers
  • OmnisauraOmnisaura editorial · confidence levels and gaps
  • PaleoMAP PaleoCoastlines (Kocsis and Scotese 2021)CC BY 4.0 · ancient coastlines on the small map
  • Natural EarthPublic domain · today's coastlines

Pictures linked from this page are credited beside each one, with their own licences; the full list is in the JSON download.