Parasaurus

Pah-rah-ssore-us.
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Benjamin Gutierrez

Vertebrate Paleontologist

Benjamin Gutierrez is a leading expert on dinosaurs, particularly the mighty theropods. His fieldwork in South America has uncovered new species and provided insights into dinosaur social structures.

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Name

Parasaurus.

Phonetic

Pah-rah-ssore-us.

Named By

von Meyer‭ ‬-‭ ‬1857.

Classification

Chordata,‭ ‬Reptilia,‭ ‬Procolophonomorpha,‭ ‬Pareiasauridae.

Diet

Herbivore.

Species

P.‭ ‬geinitzi‭

Size

Possibly up to‭ ‬2‭ ‬meters long.

Known locations

Germany‭ ‬-‭ ‬Werra Formation.

Time Period

Wuchiapingian of the Permian.

Fossil representation

Partial remains of several individuals.

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 pareiasaur‭ (‬amniote,‭ ‬Parareptilia‭)‬:‭ ‬-‭ ‬Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences,‭ ‬v.‭ ‬45,‭ ‬p.‭ ‬111-1121.‭ ‬-‭ ‬2008.

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