Definition of therapsida Therapsida

We found 3 definitions of therapsida from 3 different sources.

What does therapsida mean?

Noun
therapsida - extinct mammal-like reptiles found inhabiting all continents from the mid Permian to late Triassic
		order Therapsida
		animal order the order of animals
		subclass synapsida, synapsida extinct reptiles of the Permian to Jurassic considered ancestral to mammals
		protomammal, therapsid probably warm-blooded; considered direct ancestor of mammals
		chronoperates, genus chronoperates a reptile genus of Therapsida
		cynodontia, division cynodontia a division of the order Therapsida from the Triassic period comprising small carnivorous tetrapod reptiles often with mammal-like teeth

= synonym
= antonym
= related word

Therapsids ("Therapsida"), previosly known as the "mammal-like reptiles", are an order of synapsids. Traditionally, synapsids were referred to as reptiles. However, when the term is used cladistically, the taxon also includes the mammals, which are descended from the cynodont therapsids.

Characteristics.

Therapsids' temporal fenestrae were larger than those of the pelycosaurs. The jaws of therapsids were differentiated into frontal incisors for nipping, large lateral canines for puncturing and tearing, and molars for shearing and tearing, and molars for shearing and chopping food. Therapsids legs were positioned more vertically beneath their bodies than were the sprawling legs of reptiles and pelycosaurs.