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| Elginia |
| Translation |
of Elgin |
| Type |
armored reptile |
| Length |
2 ft (60 cm) |
| Weight |
12 kg |
| Movement |
quadruped |
| Age |
250 million years ago |
| Diet |
herbivore |
| Environment |
desert |
| Distribution |
Scotland |
Elginia was a pareiasaur - a member of a group of Late Permian parareptiles which grew up to 10 feet long (3 meters). Elginia was a dwarf form, about 2 feet (60 cm) long, found in Elgin,Scotland. Its head was covered in spikes and there were two particularly long ones growing out of the back of the skull. These were probably used for display rather than combat or defense. Some dwarf pareiasaurs had extensive body armor and were strikingly turtle-like. It was an ancestor of turtles.
