Fossils of Bobasatrania were found in beds of Changhsingian (late Permian) to Ladinian (Middle Triassic) age.

[3] The genus was named after the locality Bobasatrana (near Ambilobe) in northeast Madagascar, from where the type species, Bobasatrania mahavavica, was described.

Their fossils are therefore found across the globe (Canada, France, Germany, Greenland, Italy, Madagascar, Spitsbergen, Pakistan, Switzerland, United States).

[7] The geologically oldest fossils are from the latest Permian Bellerophon Formation of Italy, while the youngest are from the late Ladinian Muschelkalk of Germany and France.

B. ceresiensis was about 25 cm (9.8 in) long,[8] while other species, such as B. canadensis, grew to about 1.2 m (3.9 ft) in length or larger.