Stormbergia is a genus

Genus

In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...

 of early ornithischia

Ornithischia

Ornithischia or Predentata is an extinct order of beaked, herbivorous dinosaurs. The name ornithischia is derived from the Greek ornitheos meaning 'of a bird' and ischion meaning 'hip joint'...

n dinosaur

Dinosaur

Dinosaurs are a diverse group of animals of the clade and superorder Dinosauria. They were the dominant terrestrial vertebrates for over 160 million years, from the late Triassic period until the end of the Cretaceous , when the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event led to the extinction of...

 known from the upper Elliot Formation

Elliot Formation

The Elliot Formation is a geological formation dating to roughly 210 to 190 million years ago and covering the Norian to Sinemurian stages. The Elliot Formation is found in South Africa and Lesotho and is a member of the Stormberg Group. It consists mainly of limestone, sandstone, and mudstone...

 (Early Jurassic

Jurassic

The Jurassic is a geologic period and system that extends from about Mya to  Mya, that is, from the end of the Triassic to the beginning of the Cretaceous. The Jurassic constitutes the middle period of the Mesozoic era, also known as the age of reptiles. The start of the period is marked by...

: Hettangian

Hettangian

The Hettangian is the earliest age or lowest stage of the Jurassic period of the geologic timescale. It spans the time between 199.6 ± 0.6 Ma and 196.5 ± 1 Ma . The Hettangian follows the Rhaetian and is followed by the Sinemurian.In Europe stratigraphy the Hettangian is a part of the time span in...

-Sinemurian

Sinemurian

In the geologic timescale, the Sinemurian is an age or stage in the Early or Lower Jurassic epoch or series. It spans the time between 196.5 ± 2 Ma and 189.6 ± 1.5 Ma...

) of South Africa

South Africa

The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...

 and Lesotho

Lesotho

Lesotho , officially the Kingdom of Lesotho, is a landlocked country and enclave, surrounded by the Republic of South Africa. It is just over in size with a population of approximately 2,067,000. Its capital and largest city is Maseru. Lesotho is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. The name...

, named by Richard Butler in 2005. The generic name is based upon the 'Stormberg Series' of rocks in southern Africa, which includes the Clarens

Clarens Formation

The Clarens Formation is a prominent fossil site in the Tuli Basin, in the KwaZulu-Natal region of South Africa.-Fauna of the Clarens Formation:Unidentified dinosaur eggs have been recovered from the formation.-Bony fish:-Dinosaurs:-Synapsids:...

, Elliot and Molteno Formation

Molteno Formation

The Molteno Formation is a palaeontological formation of the Stormberg Group, located in the main Karoo Basin, South Africa. It dates to the Upper Triassic period and is rich in fossils....

s, and has yielded substantial information on early dinosaur evolution. Only one species, S. dangershoeki, has been named. The specific name is based upon the location (Dangerhoek Farm) in South Africa at which the holotype

Holotype

A holotype is a single physical example of an organism, known to have been used when the species was formally described. It is either the single such physical example or one of several such, but explicitly designated as the holotype...

 specimen was found. The holotype and referred specimens of Stormbergia had been mentioned in the scientific literature as a 'large fabrosaurid

Fabrosauridae

The Fabrosauridae was originally proposed by Galton , as a group of basal ornithischian dinosaurs from the Early to Middle Jurassic. However, recent studies indicate the Fabrosaurs are not a natural grouping of dinosaurs, and instead consist of unrelated genera.The proposed "Fabrosaurs" descended...

' for at least 20 years prior to description. Only postcrania

Postcrania

Postcrania[p] in zoology and vertebrate paleontology refers to all or part of the skeleton apart from the skull. Frequently, fossil remains, e.g...

l material of Stormbergia is currently known, and details of the postcranial anatomy suggest that this dinosaur was a basal member of the clade Genasauria

Genasauria

Genasauria is an extinct clade of beaked, herbivorous dinosaurs. The group was first named by paleontologist Paul Sereno in 1986, and is typically split into Thyreophora, a group of armored dinosaurs; and Neornithischia, which included the horned and duck-billed dinosaurs...

, although the relationships of early ornithischian dinosaurs are currently in a state of flux. It may represent the adult form of Lesothosaurus

Lesothosaurus

Lesothosaurus is an herbivorous ornithischian dinosaur. It was named by paleontologist Peter Galton in 1978, the name meaning "lizard from Lesotho". The genus is monotypic, having only one valid species, Lesothosaurus diagnosticus, within the genus....

.