The closest known ancestor of Nyasasaurus parringtoni before its appearance is likely to be found among the Dinosauromorpha, a clade that includes dinosaurs and their immediate precursors. One of the most well-known early dinosauromorphs is Asilisaurus kongwe, which lived around 245 million years ago in what is now Tanzania. Asilisaurus exhibits several characteristics that are intermediate between earlier archosaurs (the group that includes all dinosaurs, crocodiles, and birds) and true dinosaurs. These early dinosauromorphs provide critical insights into the evolutionary steps that led to the rise of dinosaurs.

Phylum: Chordata > Class: Reptilia > Order: Saurischia (Clade: Dinosauria)
Evolution: Amphibians > Amniotes > Early Reptiles > Dinosauriform