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Therapsida

Therapsida

1 9.9
An extinct group of animals that are like reptiles and gave rise to mammals
  • noun
  • Specialized
: terápsidos
  • Paleontologists believe that mammals evolved from certain groups within the Therapsida.

Examples

  • The extinction of most Therapsida coincided with major climate changes at the end of the Triassic period.

  • Fossils of Therapsida have been discovered on every continent, indicating their wide distribution.

  • The Therapsida were crucial in the evolution of mammals.

  • Did you know that Therapsida lived during the Triassic period?

  • The ancient order Therapsida includes the evolutionary ancestors of modern mammals.

  • Scientists study fossils of Therapsida to understand the transition from reptiles to mammals.

  • During the Triassic period, the Therapsida thrived before going extinct in the late Mesozoic era.

Synonyms

order Therapsida
vsTherapsida
  • Specialized
1 9.9

An extinct group of reptiles that looked like early mammals and lived long ago

is the same but stresses that they are ancestors of mammals

Compounds

order Therapsida
  • Specialized
1 9.9

An extinct group of reptiles that looked like early mammals and lived long ago

Surface Forms

Therapsida singular
Therapsidas plural

Etymology

Therapsida comes from Greek parts: ther- meaning 'beast' and -apsida, a name part used for groups of reptiles, so it literally means 'beast-like reptiles'. That's why the name fits an extinct group of mammal-like reptiles that gave rise to modern mammals.