archosaur

/ˈɑrkəˌsɔər/

Other forms: archosaurs

Definitions of archosaur

1. noun

   group of extinct reptiles including dinosaurs, plesiosaurs, pterosaurs, ichthyosaurs, thecodonts
   synonyms: archosaurian, archosaurian reptile

   types:

   dinosaur

   any of numerous extinct terrestrial reptiles of the Mesozoic era

   flying reptile, pterosaur

   an extinct reptile of the Jurassic and Cretaceous having a bird-like beak and membranous wings supported by the very long fourth digit of each forelimb

   thecodont, thecodont reptile

   presumably in the common ancestral line to dinosaurs and crocodiles and birds

   ichthyosaur

   any of several extinct sea-dwelling reptiles of the Mesozoic having a body like a porpoise with dorsal and tail fins and paddle-shaped limbs

   plesiosaur, plesiosaurus

   extinct marine reptile with a small head on a long neck a short tail and four paddle-shaped limbs; of the Jurassic and Cretaceous

   nothosaur

   extinct marine reptile with longer more slender limbs than plesiosaurs and less completely modified for swimming

   ornithischian, ornithischian dinosaur

   herbivorous dinosaur with a pelvis like that of a bird

   iguanodon

   massive herbivorous bipedal dinosaur with a long heavy tail; common in Europe and northern Africa; early Cretaceous period

   saurischian, saurischian dinosaur

   herbivorous or carnivorous dinosaur having a three-pronged pelvis like that of a crocodile

   diplodocus

   a huge quadrupedal herbivore with long neck and tail; of late Jurassic in western North America

   titanosaur, titanosaurian

   amphibious quadrupedal herbivorous dinosaur with a long thin neck and whiplike tail; of the Cretaceous mostly in the southern hemisphere

   argentinosaur

   huge herbivorous dinosaur of Cretaceous found in Argentina

   ground-shaker, seismosaur

   huge herbivorous dinosaur of the Cretaceous found in western North America

   pterodactyl

   extinct flying reptile

   ichthyosaurus

   ichthyosaurs of the Jurassic

   Stenopterygius quadrisicissus, stenopterygius

   an ichthyosaur of the genus Stenopterygius

   type of:

   diapsid, diapsid reptile

   reptile having a pair of openings in the skull behind each eye