palaeopedia:The shield lizard, Scutosaurus (1922)Phylum : ChordataClass : ReptiliaOrder&nb
palaeopedia:The shield lizard, Scutosaurus (1922)Phylum : ChordataClass : ReptiliaOrder : ProcolophonomorphaFamily : PareiasauridaeGenus : ScutosaurusSpecies : S. elegans, S. horridus, S. tuberculatus, S. karpinskii, S. karpinsky, S. itilensisLate Permian (260 - 251 Ma)3 m long and 1 000 kg (size)Russia (map)Scutosaurus was a massively built reptile, up to 3 metres in length, with bony armor, and a number of spikes decorating its skull. Despite its relatively small size, Scutosaurus was heavy, and its short legs meant that it could not move at speed for long periods of time, which made it vulnerable to attack by large predators. To defend itself Scutosaurus had a thick skeleton covered with powerful muscles, especially in the neck region. Underneath the skin were rows of hard, bony plates (scutes) that acted like a form of chain mail.As a plant-eater living in a semi-arid climate, Scutosaurus would have wandered widely in order find fresh foliage to eat. It may have stuck closely to the riverbanks and floodplains where plant life would have been more abundant, straying further afield only during times of drought. Its teeth were flattened and could grind away at the leaves and young branches before digesting them at length in its large gut. Given that it needed to eat constantly, Scutosaurus probably lived alone, or in very small herds, so as to avoid denuding large areas of their edible plants. -- source link