Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jul 5, 2026

Sanchuansaurus

Sanchuansaurus is an extinct genus of pareiasaur from the late Permian Sunjiagou Formation of China. The genus contains a single species, S. pygmaeus, known from a partial maxilla and left leg bones. A 2013 study suggested that both Sanchuansaurus and another Chinese pareiasaur, Huanghesaurus, were synonymous with Shansisaurus. However, this has not been followed in future research, with later papers considering Sanchuansaurus to be distinct, with Huanghesaurus and Shansisaurus possibly being synonymous with Shihtienfenia, another Chinese pareiasaur.

Last revised
Jul 5, 2026
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≈ 1 min
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Source
Sanchuansaurus
Temporal range: Late Permian,1
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Clade: Pareiasauria
Clade: Velosauria
Genus: Sanchuansaurus
Species:
S. pygmaeus
Binomial name
Sanchuansaurus pygmaeus
Gao, 1988

Sanchuansaurus is an extinct genus of pareiasaur from the late Permian Sunjiagou Formation of China. The genus contains a single species, S. pygmaeus, known from a partial maxilla and left leg bones.2 A 2013 study suggested that both Sanchuansaurus and another Chinese pareiasaur, Huanghesaurus, were synonymous with Shansisaurus.3 However, this has not been followed in future research, with later papers considering Sanchuansaurus to be distinct, with Huanghesaurus and Shansisaurus possibly being synonymous with Shihtienfenia, another Chinese pareiasaur.1

References

References

  1. Benton, Michael J. (2016-07-13). "The Chinese pareiasaurs". Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. 177 (4): 813–853. doi:10.1111/zoj.12389. hdl:1983/6d1a4f9b-a768-4b86-acb1-b3ad1f7ee885.
  2. Gao, Keqin (1989-06-01). "Pareiasaurs from the Upper Permian of north China". Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences. 26 (6): 1234–1240. doi:10.1139/e89-104. ISSN 0008-4077.
  3. Li, Xing-Wen; Liu, Jun (2013). "New specimens of pareiasaurs from the Upper Permian Sunjiagou Formation of Liulin, Shanxi and their implications for the taxonomy of Chinese pareiasaurs" (PDF). Vertebrata PalAsiatica. 51 (3): 199–204.