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'''Scutosaurus''' ("Shield Lizard") was a genus of armor-covered pareiasaur, perhaps as much as 3.5 m long, which lived around 260-250 million years ago in Russia, in the later Permian period. Its genus name refers to large plates of armor scattered across its body. It was a large anapsid reptile that, unlike most reptiles, held its legs underneath its body to support its great weight.
It was an herbivore, which probably lived in herds and was adapted to the dry conditions which covered much of Pangaea at that time. It was of a very heavy build, almost rhinoceros-like. It also had stubby toes to support its great weight.

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In Popular Culture

In Popular Culture

''Scutosaurus'' was shown in the ''Walking with Monsters'' series as being a social animal that migrated in groups. ''Scutosaurus'' was depicted as being the main prey of a large gorgonopsid, later erroneously identified in the books as ''Gorgonops''. It was highly unlikely that ''Gorgonops'' preyed on these beasts, as it was indigenous to the region in Gondwana that is now South Africa. ''Scutosaurus'' was indigenous to the region in Laurasia that is now Siberia. However, the Russian gorgonopsid ''Inostrancevia'' may have preyed on ''Scutosaurus'', instead.
''Scutosaurus'' was also shown in the ''Primeval'' series. See List of creatures in Primeval.