Paulus Edward Pieris Deraniyagala

Paulus Edward Pieris Deraniyagala (1900–1976) was a Sri Lankan paleontologist, zoologist, and artist.

[citation needed] He specialised in fauna and human fossils of the Indian subcontinent.

From 1939 to 1963, he was the director of the National Museum of Ceylon, and from 1961 to 1964, he was also the dean of the Faculty of Arts at the Vidyodaya University.

[8][better source needed] He served as president of the Ceylon Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society from 1952 to 1955.

[10] He was married to Prini Molamure; their son Siran Upendra Deraniyagala is also a scientist, specialising in archeology.