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Glite Dictionary
Plesiosauria

Plesiosauria

9.9
A group of large extinct sea reptiles with long necks, broad bodies, and flippers
  • noun
  • Specialized
: Plesiosauria
  • The order Plesiosauria was known for their long necks and flippers, making them unique among marine reptiles.

Examples

  • The order Plesiosauria was large and varied.

    Sea Rex 3D: Journey to a Prehistoric World (2010)

  • During the Mesozoic Era, Plesiosauria roamed the oceans, swimming with their broad bodies.

  • Fossils of Plesiosauria provide insight into the diversity of marine life millions of years ago.

Surface Forms

Plesiosauria singular
Plesiosaurias plural

Morphology

Plesiosauria = plesiosaur (semi-transparent) = plesiosaur + ia

The word is formed by adding the taxonomic suffix '-ia' to the noun 'plesiosaur' to indicate the group/order; the relation is predictable but the suffix is specialized technical vocabulary.

Etymology

Plesiosauria comes from the Greek parts plesio- meaning 'near' and sauros meaning 'lizard', so it literally means 'near-lizard' because early scientists saw them as lizard-like animals of the sea. That's why Plesiosauria is the name for the group of extinct large sea reptiles with long necks and flippers.