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Glite Dictionary
therapsid

therapsid

9.9
An extinct reptile-like animal that is the ancestor of mammals
  • noun
  • /θəˈræpsɪd/
  • Specialized
translation icon : terápsido
  • Members of the extinct group known as therapsids are believed to have evolved into modern mammals.

Examples

  • The dominant lifeforms had been a family called the "therapsids" by Hellworld's current inhabitants.

    Fiction book (1999)

  • The giant reptiles had indeed lost their domination of the planet, but the descendants of the last of the therapsids, if you please, had regained the position that their ancestors held before the Ghanx-ll Slaughter.

    Fiction book (1999)

  • During the late Permian, various therapsids displayed characteristics that indicated a warm-blooded lifestyle.

  • Fossils of therapsids are crucial for understanding the evolutionary transition from reptiles to mammals.

Synonyms

synapsid reptile
vstherapsid
  • Specialized
9.9

An extinct reptile with one pair of holes in the skull behind the eyes that led to mammals

is defined by descent leading to mammals rather than the skull opening feature
synapsid
vstherapsid
  • Specialized
9.9

An extinct reptile-like animal with one pair of skull openings that led to mammals

focuses on being ancestral to mammals rather than only skull anatomy

Surface Forms

therapsid singular
therapsids plural

Etymology

The word therapsid comes from Greek parts: ther- meaning 'beast' and -apsid a suffix used in names for skull shapes. So therapsids are 'beast-like' reptiles whose skull and body features link them to the early mammals.