Definition
diapsids
noun
- Plural of diapsid; a member of a large group of reptiles characterized by two openings (fenestrae) on each side of the skull behind the eye socket.
Usage: zoology; paleontology; technical term
Examples
- Diapsids include modern lizards, snakes, and crocodilians.
- The fossil record shows that diapsids diversified extensively during the Mesozoic Era.
- Dinosaurs were among the most successful diapsids ever to evolve.
- Modern birds are considered avian diapsids by many paleontologists.
- The two temporal fenestrae are a defining feature of diapsids.