[2] Pareiasaurus is a large quadruped, about 2.5 metres (8.2 ft) long, with elephantine legs, walking in a typically reptilian posture.

Pareiasaurus's leaf-shaped teeth, ideal for biting through tough plant fibers, indicate it was a herbivore.

[3] P. nasicornis (Haughton and Boonstra, 1929) is from the Tropidostoma Zone, Karoo basin, South Africa.

P. peringueyi (Haughton and Boonstra, 1929) is from the Cistecephalus Zone, Karoo basin, South Africa.

P. serridens (Owen, 1876) is from the Dicynodon Zone, Karoo basin, South Africa.