Lystrosaurus fossil map
Where fossils of Lystrosaurus have been found, shown on the Earth as it looked about 252 million years ago and on today’s map.
Dots are fossil collections recorded in the Paleobiology Database. The “then” view moves today’s fossil sites back to their positions 252 million years ago (the time slice nearest the median age of the fossils) using the Merdith et al. (2021) plate model; positions are approximate. Open on the timeline map →
| Group | Pre-mammals (synapsids) |
|---|---|
| Lived | 264.28–247 million years ago |
| Periods | Permian, Triassic |
| Family | Lystrosauridae |
| Named by | Cope 1870 |
| Fossil records | 124 occurrences at 53 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | South Africa, India, China, Antarctica, Russian Federation |
| Rock formations | Katberg, txn:39048, Panchet, Normandien, Balfour, Jiucaiyuan |
About Lystrosaurus
Lystrosaurus (; 'shovel lizard'; from Ancient Greek λίστρον lístron 'tool for leveling or smoothing, shovel, spade, hoe') is an extinct genus of herbivorous dicynodont therapsids from the late Permian and Early Triassic epochs (around 248 million years ago). It had a widespread distribution across Pangaea, with fossils having been found in what is now Antarctica, India, China, Mongolia, European Russia, South Africa, and possibly Australia and Mozambique. Four to six species are currently recognized, but from the 1930s to 1970s the number of species was thought to be much higher.
As a dicynodont, Lystrosaurus had only two teeth (a pair of tusk-like canines), and is thought to have had a horny beak that was used for biting off pieces of vegetation. It was a heavily built, herbivorous animal. The structure of its shoulders and hip joints suggests that it moved with a semi-sprawling gait. Its forelimbs were even more robust than its hindlimbs, and it is thought to have been a powerful digger that nested in burrows.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Lystrosaurus (revision 1369641214), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0; introduction excerpted verbatim, formatting removed. Ages, family, authority and fossil records: Paleobiology Database, accessed 22 October 2026. Ages are those of the rock layers the fossils were found in.
