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herrerasaur

herrerasaur

1 9.9
An early meat-eating dinosaur that lived long ago in Argentina
  • noun
  • /ˌhɛrəˈsɔr/
  • Specialized
: herrerasaurio
  • The herrerasaur was one of the earliest known dinosaurs.

Examples

  • The fossilized remains of a herrerasaur were first uncovered in northwestern Argentina.

  • Unlike later dinosaurs, the herrerasaur had a flexible jaw and unique hip structure.

  • Scientists believe that the herrerasaur was one of the earliest theropods.

  • Did the herrerasaur have feathers?

  • Fossils of the herrerasaur were discovered in Argentina, providing insights into early dinosaur evolution.

  • Paleontologists believe that the herrerasaur was a carnivorous dinosaur that roamed the earth millions of years ago.

  • In the Late Triassic period, the herrerasaur was one of the first theropods to exist among the diverse prehistoric fauna.

Synonyms

herrerasaurus
vsherrerasaur
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A meat-eating dinosaur from Argentina that lived long ago

uses a shorter simplified form of the same genus name in writing

Surface Forms

herrerasaur singular
herrerasaurs plural

Morphology

herrerasaur = Herrerasaurus (semi-transparent) = herrera + saur

The form is clearly based on the genus name Herrerasaurus (clipped to herrerasaur) and includes the dinosaur-forming element '-saur', but the clipping and the combining form are specialized and not fully transparent to average learners.

Etymology

Herrerasaur comes from the local name Herrera and the Greek root saurus, which means 'lizard' and is the same root in dinosaur. So herrerasaur literally means 'Herrera's lizard', a name for an early dinosaur found in Argentina.