Anapsid (Noun)
Meaning
Primitive reptile having no opening in the temporal region of the skull; all extinct except turtles.
Classification
Nouns denoting animals.
Examples
- The anapsid is a primitive reptile that has been extinct for millions of years except for the modern turtles, which are its descendants.
- All other known anapsids have been extinct since the Triassic period, making turtles the only living representatives of this once diverse group.
- The discovery of this anapsid fossil provided important insights into the evolution of reptiles on Earth, and helped to clarify the relationships between different species.
- Anapsids were one of the first major groups of reptiles to evolve on land, and were characterized by their solid bony skulls and limbless or short-limbed bodies.
- Studies of the anapsid skull have revealed a number of primitive features that distinguish it from more advanced reptiles, such as the lack of any openings in the temporal region.