Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
Crossopterygii

Crossopterygii

1 9.9
A group of ancient fish with fins like legs that led to the first amphibians
  • noun
  • /ˌkrɔsəˈtɛrɪdʒiˌaɪ/
  • Specialized
: Crosopterygii
  • Scientists often study the Crossopterygii to understand how aquatic life adapted to terrestrial environments.

Examples

  • Fossils of Crossopterygii provide key evidence for the evolution of land-dwelling vertebrates.

  • The Crossopterygii are fascinating because they bridge the gap between fish and amphibians.

  • The Crossopterygii had robust, limb-like fins that helped them move in shallow waters.

  • Many paleontologists study the Crossopterygii to understand evolution better.

  • The Crossopterygii were crucial in the evolution of vertebrates, as they possessed limb-like fins that helped bridge the transition to land.

  • Scientists study fossils of Crossopterygii to understand the anatomical features that link them to early amphibians.

  • Among the ancient fishes, the Crossopterygii are notable for their unique lobe-finned structure that resembles the limbs of terrestrial animals.

Surface Forms

Crossopterygii singular
Crossopterygii plural

Etymology

Crossopterygii comes from old Greek parts crosso- ('fringe') and -pterygii ('fin'), so it literally means 'fringed fins'. That's why the name fits these extinct fishes: they had strong, limb-like fins that looked like fringed wings and helped them move in shallow water on the way to becoming the first land animals.