Smit Original Early Drawing of a Pareiasaurus

SMIT, Joseph (1836-1929).
Pareiasaurus.
Original Illustration in pen, ink and grey wash, heightened in white.
c.1905-1912.
7 1/4" x 10 5/8" sheet.

Original artwork for Henry R. Knipe's Nebula to Man. Illustrated on page 51.

Pareiasaurus is an extinct genus of pareiasauromorph reptile from the Permian period. It was a typical member of its family, the pareiasaurids, which take their name from this genus. Fossils have been found in the Beaufort Group. Pareiasaurus is a large quadruped, about 2.5 meters (8.2 ft) long, with elephantine legs, walking in a typically reptilian posture. The skull is broad and the snout short. Its skull had several spine- and wart-like protrusions. Pareiasaurus's leaf-shaped teeth, ideal for biting through tough plant fibers, indicate it was a herbivore. Even the palate had teeth.