Animals of the Triassic

Below are some of the animals featured in the Dawn of the Dinosaurs exhibit. These include large reptiles such as the predatory erythrosuchian, the giant amphibian Buettneria, some of the earliest dinosaurs such as Coelophysis, the first mammal, Adelobasileus, and other Triassic creatures.

Photos courtesy of David Baccadutre, illustrations by Matt Celeskey and Mary Sundstrom.

Erythrosuchian

Early archosaur

er-rith-row-SOOK-ee-un

From Greek erythros, "red" and souchos, "crocodile"

11.5 feet/3.5 meters long

Meat eater

Middle Triassic (245 million years ago)

Became extinct during the Triassic

Protopterus

African Lungfish

pro-TOP-ter-us

From Greek protos, "first" and pteron, "fin"

5 feet/1.5 meters long

Meat eater

Early Devonian to Present (400 million years ago to now)

Persisted through Triassic

Adelobasileus

First mammal

uh-DELL-oh-ba-sill-ee-us

From Greek adelos, "obscure" and basiliskos, "king."

4.7 inches/.12 meters long

Meat eater

Late Triassic (225 million years ago)

First evolved during Triassic

Coelophysis

Early dinosaur

see-low-FY-sis

From Greek koilos, "hollow," and physis, " nature or condition."

9.8 feet/3 meters long

Meat eater

Late Triassic (205-210 million years ago)

First evolved during Triassic

Typothorax

Aetosaur

tie-po-THOR-ax

From Greek typo, "shape" and thorax, "cuirass"

8.2 feet/2.5 meters long

Plant eater

Late Triassic (215-205 million years ago)

Became extinct during Triassic

Placerias

Dicynodont

plu-SAYR-ee-us

9.5 feet/2.9 meters long

Plant Eater

Late Triassic (220 million years ago)

Became extinct during Triassic

Redondasaurus

Phytosaur

ruh-don-duh-SORE-us

From Mesa Redonda near Tucumcari and Greek sauros, "reptile"

21 feet/6.4 meters long

Meat eater

Late Triassic (205 million years ago)

Became extinct during Triassic

Pseudopalatus

Phytosaur

SOO-do-pa-LAY-tus

From Greek pseudos, "false" and Latin palatus, "palate"

9.8-13.1 feet/3-4 meters long

Meat eater

Late Triassic (205 million years ago)

Became extinct during Triassic

Trilophosaurus

Early archosaur

tri-low-fo-SORE-us

From Greek trion, "three," lophos, "crest" and sauros, "reptile"

5.5 feet/1.7 meters long

Meat eater

Late Triassic (225-210 million years ago)

Became extinct during Triassic

Adult and Juvenile Buettneria

Early Amphibian

butte-NAYR-ee-uh

Named for a paleontologist, W.H. Buettner

6.9 feet/2.1 meters long

Meat eater

Late Triassic (220-205 million year ago)

Became extinct during Triassic