The dawn of the Mesozoic Era. Dinosaurs first emerged in the Late Triassic following the catastrophic Permian-Triassic extinction event, initially occupying modest niches alongside crurotarsan archosaurs.
TheropodaChindesaurus bryansmalli Long & Murry, 1995
A basal carnivorous dinosaur from the Chinle Formation of the Petrified Forest National Park.
TheropodaCoelophysis bauri Cope, 1887
A slender, agile early theropod from the Late Triassic, known from hundreds of well-preserved skeletons at Ghost Ranch, New Mexico.
SauropodomorphaEoraptor lunensis Sereno et al., 1993
A diminutive Late Triassic dinosaur from Argentina whose phylogenetic position between basal Theropoda and stem-Sauropodomorpha has been extensively debated.
TheropodaHerrerasaurus ischigualastensis Reig, 1963
An early predatory dinosaur from the Late Triassic Ischigualasto Formation of Argentina whose precise phylogenetic position near the root of Saurischia remains debated.
TheropodaLiliensternus liliensterni Huene, 1934
A large, active predatory coelophysoid that roamed Late Triassic Germany.
SauropodomorphaMelanorosaurus readi Haughton, 1924
A massive, quadrupedal basal sauropodomorph from the Late Triassic of South Africa.
SauropodomorphaPlateosaurus trossingensis Fraas, 1913
The classic European 'prosauropod', a dominant Late Triassic long-necked herbivore that lived in massive herds.
SauropodomorphaRiojasaurus incertus Bonaparte, 1969
A heavy, quadrupedal Late Triassic sauropodomorph from Argentina with dense limb bones.
TheropodaStaurikosaurus pricei Colbert, 1970
An early predatory dinosaur from the Late Triassic Santa Maria Formation of Brazil, often placed within Herrerasauridae with debated phylogenetic affinities.
SauropodomorphaThecodontosaurus antiquus Morris, 1843
One of the earliest dinosaurs ever named, an agile small herbivore from the Late Triassic fissure fills of southwestern Britain.