Location : Africa

Paranthodon was a close relative of Stegosaurus and lived in the southern part of Africa at the end of the Jurassic period. The stegosaurs were a family of plant-eaters with small heads and a row of either plates or spines running along their back from their neck to the end of their tail.

Paranthodon was initially classified in 1929 as a non-dinosaur due to the lack of material - only a partial jaw with teeth were found. It was given its present name in 1978, but classified as an ankylosaur. In 1979 a number of similarities with Stegosaurus were noted and it was given its current membership in the stegosauria.