Protorosaurus

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Protorosaurus Fossil range: Late Permian
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Sauropsida Infraclass: Archosauromorpha Order: Prolacertiformes Family: Protorosauridae Lydekker, 1888 Genus: Protorosaurus
Binomial name
Protorosaurus speneri von Meyer, 1830

Protorosaurus, a lizard-like reptile of the order Prolacertiformes, is the earliest known archosauromorph. It lived during the Late Permian period in Germany, and grew up to 2 meters (6 feet) in length.

In 1914, a new ceratopsian dinosaur found by Lawrence Lambe was again given the name Protorosaurus (in this sense meaning "before Torosaurus"). When Lambe found that the name had already been used for the early archosauromorph, he re-named his ceratopsian to Chasmosaurus.