Protorosaurus

Taxobox
name = "Protorosaurus"
fossil_range = Late Permian

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image_width=250px
image-caption=restoration of "Protorosaurus speneri"
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Sauropsida
infraclassis = Archosauromorpha
ordo = Prolacertiformes
familia = Protorosauridae
familia_authority = Lydekker, 1888
genus = "Protorosaurus"
binomial = "Protorosaurus speneri"
binomial_authority = von Meyer, 1830

"Protorosaurus" ("first lizard") , 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".