In Depth Bradysaurus is a primitive genus of pareiasaur that gives an indication to how the pareiasaurs developed. The teeth of Bradysaurus have little in the way of cusps, and are also fairly high crowned. The scutes (osteoderms) in the skin are also not as well developed as those of later forms, which indicates that … Read more
In Depth The small size of Elginia is in stark contrast to the larger pareiasaurs such as Scutosaurus. This reduction in size is often considered an adaptation to the harsh conditions of the end of the Permian. Elginia has a number of spikes protruding from its skull, the largest pair rising from the sides at … Read more
In Depth Shihtienfenia is one of the first pareiasaurs known from China, and one that raised a few eyebrows. Most known pareiasaurs have four sacral vertebrae (the vertebrae that are housed within the pelvis), but Shihtienfenia has six. Unfortunately the skull of Shihtienfenia is still unknown, so it is still uncertain what other differences may … Read more