rhynchocephalian

[ ring-koh-suh-feyl-yuhn, -fey-lee-uhn ]

adjective

1. belonging or pertaining to the Rhynchocephalia, an order of lizardlike reptiles that are extinct except for the tuatara.

noun

1. a rhynchocephalian reptile.

rhynchocephalian

/ ˌrɪŋkəʊsɪˈfælɪən /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or belonging to the Rhyncocephalia , an order of lizard-like reptiles common in the Mesozoic era but today represented only by the tuatara

noun

1. any reptile belonging to the order Rhyncocephalia

rhynchocephalian

/ rĭng′kō-sə-fāl′yən /

1. Any of various mostly extinct lizardlike reptiles of the order Rhynchocephalia, whose only living representative is the tuatara ( Sphenodon punctatus and S. guntheri ). Rhynchocephalians have several primitive skeletal features, including two temporal arches on each side of the skull rather than one, and teeth attached to the edge of the jaw rather than set in sockets. Most rhynchocephalians died out by the end of the Jurassic Period.

Word History and Origins

Origin of rhynchocephalian¹

1865–70; < New Latin Rhynchocephali ( a ) name of the order (< Greek rhýncho ( s ) snout + New Latin -cephalia; cephal-, -ia ) + -an

Word History and Origins

Origin of rhynchocephalian¹

C19: from New Latin Rhynchocephalia , from Greek rhunkhos a snout + kephalē head

Example Sentences

In the Rhynchocephalian Hyperodapedon they are drawn out into a strongly curved beak.

From Project Gutenberg

The palate of Captorhinus is of the generalized rhynchocephalian type (Romer, 1956:71).

From Project Gutenberg

The sphenacodonts possess the primitive rhynchocephalian kind of palate.

From Project Gutenberg