In Depth Eumetabolodon is a genus of procolophonid reptile that lived in China during the Triassic. Further Reading - Tooth replacement in a new genus of procolophonid from the Early Triassic of China. - Palaeontology 26(3):567-583. - J. L. Li - 1983.
In Depth Procolophon is the type genus of the Procolophonidae, a group of parareptiles that first appeared in the Permian period and survived until at least the late Triassic. Procolophonidae had a fairly squat body with short but powerful limbs. This form is widely believed to have been that of a burrowing lizard which either … Read more
In Depth Lasasaurus was a genus of procolophonid parareptile (the type genus of the group being Procolophon) that live in Madagascar during the early Triassic. Further Reading - First procolophonid (Reptilia, Parareptilia) from the Lower Triassic of Madagascar - Comptes Rendus Palevol - J. Falconnet, M. Andriamihaja, �. L�ng & J. -S. B. Steyer - … Read more
In Depth Nyctiphruretus is a contender for one of the coolest names of any prehistoric animal since the name translates to English as ‘guardian of the night’. Nyctiphruretus was an herbivorous procolophonomorph, that seems to have had a preference for plants that were either aquatic, or growing in wetlands. This is because all of the … Read more
In Depth Although a relatively little known genus of pareiasaur, Parasaurus was actually the first pareiasaur genus to be named. Parasaurus lived in Germany in during the late Permian, and like with other pareiasaurs, was a plant eater that fed upon low growing vegetation. Further Reading - A re-evaluation of Parasaurus geinitzi, the first named … Read more
In Depth A relative to genera such as Bolosaurus and Belebey, Eudibamus was a small bipedal reptile that lived in Germany during the Permian. Further Reading - Early Permian Bipedal Reptile. - Science 290:969-972. - D. S. Berman, R. R. Reisz, D. Scott, A. C. Henrici, S. S. Sumida & T. Martens - 2000.
In Depth Pumiliopareia was a fairly small parieasaur though one that was not completely defenceless. The skin of Pumiliopareia was the housing for a multitude of osteoderm armour, though bony plates that floated within the skin that could stop the teeth and claws of most predators. Further Reading Further reading- A taxonomic revision of pareiasaurian … Read more
In Depth First named as a species of Pareiasaurus in 1985 by D. C. F. Araujo, from fossils recovered from the Rio do Rasto Formation in Brazil, the species was renamed as a distinct genus, Provelosaurus, in 1997. This decision was based upon the observation that Provelosaurus shows greater similarities to South African pareisaurs such … Read more
In Depth Sauropareion is a genus of small procolophonid reptile that lived in South Africa at the start of the Triassic period. Further Reading - A new Triassic procolophonoid reptile and its implications for procolophonoid survivorship during the Permo-Triassic extinction event. - Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 268 (1480): 2047–2052. - Sean … Read more
In Depth Hypsognathus is regarded as one of the last of the procolophonids, a group of parareptiles that became common during the Permian and Triassic periods. The earliest members of this group are believed to have been insectivores due to the form of their teeth. The teeth of Hypsognathus however were quite different to those … Read more