Is a Diapsid a reptile?

Radiation of Diapsids. Diapsida is a diverse clade of reptiles. Modern diapsids include lizards, snakes, turtles, birds, and crocodylians; extinct diapsids include dinosaurs, pterosaurs, ichthyosaurs, and many other familiar taxa.

What is the meaning of diapsid?

: of, relating to, or including reptiles (such as the crocodiles) with two pairs of temporal openings in the skull.

What are the two main clades of diapsid reptiles?

Extant diapsids are classified into either lepidosaurs (lizards and Sphenodon) or archosaurs (birds and crocodiles). Both of these clades are very successful and speciose (Fig.

What is diapsid lineage?

Diapsids (“two arches”) are a group of amniote tetrapods that developed two holes (temporal fenestra) in each side of their skulls about 300 million years ago during the late Carboniferous period. The diapsids are extremely diverse, and include all crocodilians, lizards, snakes, tuatara, turtles, and birds.

What was the first diapsid?

The evolutionary history of the diapsid lineage is quite complex; diapsids evolved into many shapes, occupying many different ecological niches since they first came onto the scene in the late Carboniferous Period (roughly 350 million years ago), when they were represented by the earliest diapsid, the tiny lizardlike …

How many species are in the reptile order rhynchocephalia?

Living (non-avian) reptiles traditionally are classified in four orders: Squamata (lizards and snakes: with >10,000 species); Rhynchocephalia (the tuatara Sphenodon punctatus); Chelonia (turtles: 346 species); and Crocodilia (alligators, crocodiles, and gharials: 25 species).

What are the physical characteristics of a diapsid?

All members of the group called the Reptilia (see below), except for the anapsids (turtles and their ilk), and a few extinct groups, are diapsids. The main diagnostic physical character for a diapsid is the presence of two openings on each side of the skull; openings on each side of the skull; the upper and lower temporal openings.

What kind of reptiles are called diapsids or reptilia?

The Reptiles (except turtles) You are actually quite familiar with the group of tetrapods known as diapsids, believe it or not. All members of the group called the Reptilia (see below), except for the anapsids (turtles and their ilk), and a few extinct groups, are diapsids.

How many openings does a diapsid reptile have?

(of reptiles) having two openings in the skull behind each eye, characteristic of the subclasses Lepidosauria and Archosauria, including all living reptiles except turtles. a diapsid reptile. Think you remember last week’s words? Take this quiz on the Words of the Day from April 6–12 to find out!

What kind of tetrapods are the diapsids?

You are actually quite familiar with the group of tetrapods known as diapsids, believe it or not. All members of the group called the Reptilia (see below), except for the anapsids (turtles and their ilk), and a few extinct groups, are diapsids.

All members of the group called the Reptilia (see below), except for the anapsids (turtles and their ilk), and a few extinct groups, are diapsids. The main diagnostic physical character for a diapsid is the presence of two openings on each side of the skull; openings on each side of the skull; the upper and lower temporal openings.

The Reptiles (except turtles) You are actually quite familiar with the group of tetrapods known as diapsids, believe it or not. All members of the group called the Reptilia (see below), except for the anapsids (turtles and their ilk), and a few extinct groups, are diapsids.

(of reptiles) having two openings in the skull behind each eye, characteristic of the subclasses Lepidosauria and Archosauria, including all living reptiles except turtles. a diapsid reptile. Think you remember last week’s words? Take this quiz on the Words of the Day from April 6–12 to find out!

What kind of animals are part of the diapsid family?

The diapsids are extremely diverse, and include all crocodilians, lizards, snakes, tuatara, turtles, and birds. Although some diapsids have lost either one hole (lizards), or both holes (snakes and turtles), or have a heavily restructured skull (modern birds), they are still classified as diapsids based on their ancestry.

What separates Rhynchocephalia from other reptiles?

Rhynchocephalians are distinguished from squamates by a number of traits, including the presence of gastralia (rib-like bones present in the belly of the body, also shared with living crocodilians and some other extinct reptile groups, including most theropod dinosaurs), a narrow quadrate bone, the temporal fenestra ( …