archosaurian
adjective
Meaning
Belonging to a major group of diapsid reptiles that includes dinosaurs, pterosaurs, crocodiles, and birds.
Examples
- Paleontologists have identified several archosaurian fossils in the rock layers of the Triassic period.
- The evolutionary lineage of archosaurian animals diverged significantly after the Permian-Triassic extinction event.
Synonyms: reptilian, diapsid, prehistoric, saurian