240-million-year-old prehistoric animal discovered in Tanzania

Scientists have discovered a new species of prehistoric animal that lived around 240 million years ago.

The plant-eating creature, called Dinodontosaurus isiyavamanda, was discovered in what is now Tanzania in East Africa.

What surprised researchers is that Dinodontosaurus fossils had previously only been found in South America.

Experts say the discovery could help them better understand when and where dinosaurs first appeared on Earth.

The research was led by experts from the University of Bristol, who took a closer look at fossils collected in Tanzania more than 60 years ago.

Scientists examined the remains, kept at the Natural History Museum in London, and discovered that they belonged to a type of plant-eating creature called a dicynodont.

More specifically, they were from Dinodontosaurus - a type of prehistoric creature that had only previously been found in South America.

Further study showed the Tanzanian fossils were a previously unknown species, which the researchers named Dinodontosaurus isiyavamanda.

Experts say the discovery is important because the rocks where Dinodontosaurus was found have also produced some of the oldest possible dinosaur fossils.

Because Dinodontosaurus has now been found in both Tanzania and South America, scientists were able to work out that the rocks containing the fossils are around the same age.

Lead author Hady George, from the University of Bristol, explained: "This helps confirm that the oldest dinosaur candidates from Tanzania are probably no older than those from South America, refining the timeline of dinosaur origins."

The team added that, as a result, scientists may need to rethink when and where dinosaurs first evolved.