Nothosauria

views updated May 23 2018

Nothosauria (nothosaurs; subclass Archosauria, order Sauropterygia) A suborder of marine reptiles that flourished during the Triassic. They possessed long necks and their limbs were adapted to swimming. Nothosaurus is one of several genera and one of the species referred to it was the last of the line. The nothosaurs were replaced by the plesiosaurs (Plesiosauroidea) in the Early Jurassic.

A Dictionary of Zoology MICHAEL ALLABY

Nothosauria

views updated May 08 2018

Nothosauria (nothosaurs; order Sauropterygia) Suborder of marine reptiles that flourished during the Triassic. They possessed long necks, and their limbs were adapted to swimming. The nothosaurs were replaced by the plesiosaurs in the Early Jurassic.

A Dictionary of Earth Sciences AILSA ALLABY and MICHAEL ALLABY

Sauropterygia

views updated May 18 2018

Sauropterygia (class Reptilia, subclass Euryapsida) An extinct reptilian order, that comprises the suborders Plesiosauria (plesiosaurs) and Nothosauria (nothosaurs).

A Dictionary of Zoology MICHAEL ALLABY

Sauropterygia

views updated May 08 2018

Sauropterygia (subclass Archosauria) An extinct reptilian order, that comprises the two suborders Plesiosauria (plesiosaurs) and Nothosauria (nothosaurs).

A Dictionary of Earth Sciences AILSA ALLABY and MICHAEL ALLABY