| 释义 |
pelycosaur|ˈpɛlɪkəʊsɔː(r)|
Also pelycosaurian.
[f. mod.L. name of order Pelycosauria (E. D. Cope 1878, in Proc. Amer. Philos. Soc. XVII. 511), f. Gk. πέλυξ, πέλυκ- bowl, cup + σαῦρος lizard.]
A fossil reptile of the order Pelycosauria, known from Permian remains, and sometimes distinguished by bony spines developed from some of the vertebrae. Also attrib. or as adj.
1880Athenæum 6 Nov. 612/1 Mr. Cope's group of Pelycosaurians in North America. 1930H. H. Swinnerton Outl. Palæont. (ed. 2) xii. 334 Dimetrodon was a typical Pelycosaurian. 1933A. S. Romer Vertebr. Paleont. xi. 222 The neural arches of pelycosaurs were (as in most reptiles) narrower than those of the cotylosaurs. Ibid., The pelycosaur palate was constructed on a primitive pattern. 1954W. E. Swinton Fossil Amphibians & Reptiles vi. 29 A group of very important reptiles, the Therapsida, are descended from the Dimetrodon-like Pelycosaurs. 1968A. S. Romer Procession of Life xiv. 235 The central types among the therapsids were carnivores, continuing the flesh-eating tradition of the main pelycosaur stock. 1973Nature 16 Mar. 203/2 Dimetrodon grandis was the end form of an evolutionary series of pelycosaurs that had tended to develop increasingly large sails. 1977A. Hallam Planet Earth 212 A bizarre characteristic of a number of the pelycosaurs was the development of a huge sail-like structure adorning the back. |