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Parareptiles is a group of unusual reptiles including small lizardlooking shapes as well as larger creatures, some of them with spikes and panserplates. Opposed to most other reptiles, several parareptiles lack holes called fenestrae in the back of the scull. These Fenestrae helpt to lighten the sculls of more advanced reptiles like the Dinosaurs. Many parareptiles seemed to have been herbivores with blumpt teeth while others propably ate insects or tiny creatures. The most primitve group of parareptiles were probably South- Africas lizardlike Milleretides from late perm. Traditionally turtles - who lack fenestrae in the back of their sculls - have been regarded as parareptiles.
Scutosaurus and their relatives were covered with bony spikes, lumps and horns. Some of these structures, like the plates on the chin, the nose horns and jaw spikes, did evelop during the aging, and may have been used to attract a mate or to be used in fights with rivalizing males. The structures could also have been used for defence, for pareiasaurs may have been hunted by larger Therapsids and early Archosaurs.
One of the sister groups of parareptiles and other reptiles, was the Mesosaurs, small reptiles that lived in the water from the perm period. They had longer jaws and needlelike teeth that may have helped them to hunt fish and smaller water- creatures up from the water. The giant Pareiasaurs like Scutosaurus were heavily buildt parareptiles with round, solid bodies. Their teeth where suited for biting and chewing coarse vegetables
and the enormous bodies would contain giant intestrials that would digest any plant material of low quality.
Elginia was a pareiasaur (picture abowe) - member of the parareptile group from late perm, became not more than 3 meters long. Eligina was one about 60 cm long dwarf shape found in Scotland. The head was covered with spikes, and two specially long grew out from the back side of the head.
