The generic name is derived from Latin manus, "hand", and dens, "tooth", a reference to the hand-shaped form of the posterior lower teeth.

The specific name refers to the village of Cerro Cóndor, located near to the Queso Rallado site where the specimen was found by zoologist Guillermo Rougier.

[3] The holotype specimen of Manidens, MPEF-PV 3211, consists of a partial skeleton with a skull and lower jaw, including the axial column except most of the tail; a left shoulder girdle; and the pelvis.

[3] Only the left coracoid and proximal part of the scapula are preserved, displaying a prominent, hook-like posteroventral process separated from the glenoid cavity by a wide notch.

[3] The specimens were found in the Queso Rallado locality of the Cañadón Asfalto Formation, dating originally to the Aalenian–Early Bathonian stages, 171 ± 5 to 167 ± 4 Ma, yet where latter constrained to 179-178 million years, that is Middle-Late Toarcian.

[8] It has high-crowned teeth indicative of an increased adaptation to a herbivorous diet but lacks the wear facets seen in more advanced forms like Heterodontosaurus.

Manidens is the sister taxon of a clade consisting of the African species Heterodontosaurus, Abrictosaurus and Lycorhinus, indicating an early radiation of the heterodontosaurids.

Furthermore, Manidens represents the first known occurrence of a heterodontosaurid with dental replacement of its caniniform teeth, which may have had distinct timing relative to its cheek dentition.

[11] Palustrine littoral environments levels are seen at Cerro Cóndor and Estancia Fossati, characterized by the presence of lacustrine limestones interbedded with shales, tuffs and sandstones.

The specimens consists of a series of bones from both hind feet and a few tail vertebrae, and are tentatively attributed to Manidens on the basis of provenance.