Plesiosauroidea

views updated May 08 2018

Plesiosauroidea (plesiosaurs) Suborder of aquatic reptiles which enter the fossil record in the late Triassic, and which are common in many Jurassic and Cretaceous sediments. In appearance they were likened by Buckland to ‘a snake strung through the body of a turtle’, and some grew up to 15 m in length. There were also short-necked types, as well as the swannecked. The former are defined as the superfamily Plesiosauroidea (e.g. Plesiosaurus and Muraenosaurus), the latter as the superfamily Pliosauroidea (e.g. Pliosaurus and Trinacromerum), the two superfamilies making up the suborder.

A Dictionary of Earth Sciences AILSA ALLABY and MICHAEL ALLABY

plesiosaurs

views updated May 08 2018

plesiosaurs See PLESIOSAUROIDEA.

A Dictionary of Earth Sciences AILSA ALLABY and MICHAEL ALLABY

Plesiosauroidea

views updated Jun 11 2018

Plesiosauroidea See PLESIOSAURIA.

A Dictionary of Zoology MICHAEL ALLABY

plesiosaurs

views updated May 21 2018

plesiosaurs See PLESIOSAURIA.

A Dictionary of Zoology MICHAEL ALLABY

plesiosaurus

views updated May 29 2018

plesiosaurus one of a genus of extinct marine reptiles. XIX. f. Gr. plēsíos near + saúros lizard.

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology T. F. HOAD

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Plesiosaurus

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