| Dinosauria | ‖n. pl. [ NL., fr. Gr. &unr_; terrible + &unr_; lizard. ] (Paleon.) An order of extinct mesozoic reptiles, mostly of large size (whence the name). Notwithstanding their size, they present birdlike characters in the skeleton, esp. in the pelvis and hind limbs. Some walked on their three-toed hind feet, thus producing the large “bird tracks, ” so-called, of mesozoic sandstones; others were five-toed and quadrupedal. See Illust. of Compsognathus, also Illustration of Dinosaur in Appendix. |
| Dinosaurian | { } n. [ Gr. &unr_; terrible + &unr_; lizard. ] (Paleon.) One of the Dinosauria. [ Written also deinosaur, and deinosaurian. ] [ 1913 Webster ] Variants: Dinosaur |
| Enaliosauria | ‖n. pl. [ NL., from Gr. &unr_; marine (&unr_; in + &unr_; the sea) + &unr_; a lizard. ] (Paleon.) An extinct group of marine reptiles, embracing both the Ichthyosauria and the Plesiosauria, now regarded as distinct orders. [ 1913 Webster ] |
| Enaliosaurian | a. (Paleon.) Pertaining to the Enaliosauria. -- n. One of the Enaliosauria. [ 1913 Webster ] |
| Halisauria | ‖n. pl. [ NL., fr. Gr. "a`ls, "alo`s, sea + say^ros. ] (Paleon.) The Enaliosauria. [ 1913 Webster ] |
| Ichthyosauria | ‖n. pl. [ NL. See Ichthyosaurus. ] (Paleon.) An extinct order of marine reptiles, including Ichthyosaurus and allied forms; -- called also Ichthyopterygia. They have not been found later than the Cretaceous period. [ 1913 Webster ] |
| Ichthyosaurian | a. (Paleon.) Of or pertaining to the Ichthyosauria. -- n. One of the Ichthyosauria. [ 1913 Webster ] |
| Ictodosauria | n. An order of extinct reptiles of the Upper Triassic.
Syn. -- order Ictodosauria. [ WordNet 1.5 ] |
| Lepidosauria | ‖n. pl. [ NL., fr. Gr. lepi`s -i`dos, a scale + say^ros a lizard. ] (Zool.) A division of reptiles, including the serpents and lizards; the Plagiotremata. [ 1913 Webster ] |
| Mesosauria | ‖n. Same as Mosasauria. [ 1913 Webster ] |
| Mosasauria | ‖n. pl. [ NL. See Mosasaurus. ] (Paleon.) An order of large, extinct, marine reptiles, found in the Cretaceous rocks, especially in America. They were serpentlike in form and in having loosely articulated and dilatable jaws, with large recurved teeth, but they had paddlelike feet. Some of them were over fifty feet long. They are, essentially, fossil sea serpents with paddles. Called also Pythonomarpha, and Mosasauria. [ 1913 Webster ] |
| Mosasaurian | { } n. (Paleon.) One of an extinct order of reptiles, including Mosasaurus and allied genera. See Mosasauria. [ 1913 Webster ] Variants: Mosasaur |
| Ornithosauria | ‖prop. n. pl. [ NL. See Ornitho-, and Sauria. ] (Paleon.) An order of extinct flying reptiles; -- called also Pterosauria. [ 1913 Webster ] |
| Pelicosauria | ‖n. pl. [ NL., fr. Gr. peli`ka a wooden bowl (but taken to mean, pelvis) + say^ros a lizard. ] (Paleon.) A suborder of Theromorpha, including terrestrial reptiles from the Permian formation. [ 1913 Webster ] |
| Pelycosauria | prop. n. 1. An order of extinct reptiles including edaphosaurus and dimetrodon.
Syn. -- order Pelycosauria. [ WordNet 1.5 ] |
| Plesiosauria | ‖n. pl. [ NL. See Plesiosaurus. ] (Paleon.) An extinct order of Mesozoic marine reptiles including the genera Plesiosaurus, and allied forms; -- called also Sauropterygia. [ 1913 Webster ] |
| Plesiosaurian | n. (Paleon.) A plesiosaur. [ 1913 Webster ] |
| Pterosauria | ‖n. pl. [ NL. ] (Paleon.) An extinct order of flying reptiles of the Mesozoic age; the pterodactyls; -- called also Pterodactyli, and Ornithosauria. [ 1913 Webster ] ☞ The wings were formed, like those of bats, by a leathery expansion of the skin, principally supported by the greatly enlarged outer or “ little” fingers of the hands. The American Cretaceous pterodactyls had no teeth. See Pteranodontia, and Pterodactyl. [ 1913 Webster ] |
| Pterosaurian | a. (Paleon.) Of or pertaining to the Pterosauria. [ 1913 Webster ] |
| Sauria | ‖n. pl. [ NL., from Gr. &unr_; a lizard. ] (Zool.) A division of Reptilia formerly established to include the Lacertilia, Crocodilia, Dinosauria, and other groups. By some writers the name is restricted to the Lacertilia. [ 1913 Webster ] |
| Saurian | a. (Zool.) Of or pertaining to, or of the nature of, the Sauria. -- n. One of the Sauria. [ 1913 Webster ] |
| Sea saurian | n. (Zool.) Any marine saurian; esp. (Paleon.), the large extinct species of Mosasaurus, Ichthyosaurus, Plesiosaurus, and related genera. [ 1913 Webster ] |
| Stegosauria | ‖n. pl. [ NL. See Stegosaurus. ] (Paleon.) An extinct order of herbivorous dinosaurs, including the genera Stegosaurus, Omosaurus, and their allies. [ 1913 Webster ] |
