Sauropterygia

Thesaurus

Noun

Sauropterygia - extinct marine reptiles: plesiosaurs; nothosaursorder Sauropterygiaanimal order - the order of animalsArchosauria, subclass Archosauria - a large subclass of diapsid reptiles including: crocodiles; alligators; dinosaurs; pterosaurs; plesiosaurs; ichthyosaurs; thecodontsPlesiosauria, suborder Plesiosauria - any of the plesiosaursNothosauria, suborder Nothosauria - a suborder of Sauropterygia

Sauropterygia

enUK

Sauropterygia

[sȯ‚räp·tə′rij·ē·ə] (paleontology) An order of Mesozoic marine reptiles in the subclass Euryapsida.

Sauropterygia

an order of extinct aquatic predatory reptiles of the subclass Synaptosauria. The Triassic notosaurs had a body structure typical of terrestrial animals; the later (Jurassic-Cretaceous) plesiosaurs were similar in appearance and way of life to seals and other pinniped mammals, and they almost lost connection with dry land. Some Sauropterygia, especially the later ones, were characterized by a very long and flexible neck (elasmosaurs) with an increased number of vertebrae.

There were approximately 15 families (comprising several dozen genera). Numerous remains of Sauropterygia have been found on all the continents, including the territory of the USSR. Sauropterygia are interesting as an elucidation of the history of reptiles and their adaptation to an aquatic environment.

REFERENCE

Osnovy paleontologii: Zemnovodnye, presmykaiushchiesia i ptitsy. Moscow, 1964.

Sauropterygia

Sauropterygia

Sauropterygia

Sauropterygia

REFERENCE

Sauropterygia

Synonyms for Sauropterygia

noun extinct marine reptiles: plesiosaurs

Synonyms

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