Dinosaur genus

Megapnosaurus

Ivie et al. 2001

Megapnosaurus is a dinosaur genus known from bones, found in rocks 237–192.9 million years old, in Zimbabwe and South Africa.

Confidence labels

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How sure are we?2 high5 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

237–192.9 Ma

Triassic

Jurassic

Cretaceous

252 million years ago20114366

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: Ivie et al. 2001
medium
medium: Only PBDB gives this; nothing contradicts it.
Sources
Given by: Paleobiology Database. How it was chosen: PBDB leads.
Described in: R. B. Irmis (2004). First report of Megapnosaurus (Theropoda: Coelophysoidea) from China. PaleoBios 24(3): 11–18.
low
low: PBDB gives this publication for the name, but its author or year differ from the naming authority (Ivie et al. 2001): it may be a later work, such as one that renamed or redefined the genus.
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.
Lived: Hettangian to Sinemurian, 201.4–192.9 million years ago
disputed
low: Sources disagree and an editor has not ruled yet.
Omnisaura calculation237–192.9 million years ago, from its dated fossil records
medium
medium: Omnisaura's calculation from 6 confirmed PBDB records.
Sources
Given by: Paleobiology Database. How it was chosen: PBDB leads.
Fossils found in: Zimbabwe
high
high: NHM and PBDB both record it.
South Africa
low
low: Only one PBDB record.
mixed
mixed: 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: Forest Sandstone
high
high: NHM and PBDB both record it.
Elliot Formation
low
low: Only one PBDB record.
Nyamandhlovu Sandstones
low
low: Only one PBDB record.
mixed
mixed: 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: Coelophysidae
medium
medium: Only PBDB gives this; nothing contradicts it.
Sources
Given by: Paleobiology Database. How it was chosen: PBDB leads.
Parent group: Coelophysidae
medium
medium: Only PBDB gives this; nothing contradicts it.
Sources
Given by: Paleobiology Database. How it was chosen: PBDB leads.
Order: Saurischia
medium
medium: 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)Confidence levels and gaps are Omnisaura's own assessment.

Gaps are answers

What isn't known yet

Type species: no source we use gives it yet.
Common names: no source we use gives it yet.
What it was named after: no source we use gives it yet.
Held back: 2 fossil records left out: identified only tentatively (for example "cf." or "?").
Resting on one source: 5 facts come from a single source with nothing against them (rated medium): name (PBDB); authority (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

1 open

Age

201.4–192.9 MaPBDB
237–201.4 MaNHM specimens

The ages of the records reach well beyond the published range. An editor hasn't ruled yet, so this is rated low until they do.

Did it meet…?

Did Megapnosaurus meet ?

No. Megapnosaurus had gone at least 109.3 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.

Massospondylus Lesothosaurus Anomoepus Grallator Syntarsus Antetonitrus Heterodontosaurus Ignavusaurus Lycorhinus Thecodontosaurus Trisauropodiscus Aardonyx Abrictosaurus Arcusaurus Dracovenator Eubrontesand 3 more

Same family

Other genera in Coelophysidae with a full profile.

Camposaurus Coelophysis Segisaurus

Where its fossils were found

5 fossil sites, with present-day and ancient positions

Open the map at this time

Cite this page

Omnisaura (2026). Megapnosaurus. Future Sailors. https://www.omnisaura.com/genera/megapnosaurus. Data as of 12 October 2026.

What's changed

11 Oct 2026
Added to Omnisaura.

Every change to Omnisaura

Use this data

Download this genus as JSON With every source and licence attached. Spotted a problem? Tell us

Pictures

1 openly licensed picture of Megapnosaurus on Wikimedia Commons and museum sites, each with its own author and licence.

NHM-UK_P_DF118_03_24_0351
The Trustees of the Natural History Museum, London, CC BY 4.0

Credits

Where this page comes from

Paleobiology DatabaseCC BY 4.0 · fossil records, ages, classification
Natural History Museum Data PortalCC0 1.0 · catalogued specimens
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.