Definition of crossopterygian in English:
crossopterygian
noun ˌkrɒsɒptəˈrɪdʒɪənˌkrôˌsäptəˈrijēən
Zoology A lobe-finned fish, such as the coelacanth.
Example sentencesExamples
- One group of extinct crossopterygians, known as the rhipidistians, are the group thought by most to be the ones that successfully invaded land and gave rise to amphibians.
- These similarities have prompted evolutionists to confidently declare that crossopterygians evolved into tetrapods.
- The sarcopterygians include the lungfish, together with the crossopterygians, which are composed of coelacanths and the extinct rhipidistians.
- ‘Amphibians’ were held to be descended from rhipidistian crossopterygians and the closest living relative of amphibians was coelacanths.
- The coelacanths were a side group of crossopterygians who evolved along separate lines from the rhipidistians in the Devonian.
adjective ˌkrɒsɒptəˈrɪdʒɪənˌkrôˌsäptəˈrijēən
Zoology Relating to crossopterygians.
Example sentencesExamples
- Latimeria is a ‘living fossil,’ a single surviving species of the old lineage of crossopterygian fishes.
- After a light breakfast I studied a draft of a paper that we had just submitted on the new fossil crossopterygian fishes of the Aztec Siltstone.
- Large Bothriolepis plates were scattered around through the rocks with abundant crossopterygian bones and scales in the top units.
Origin
Mid 19th century: from modern Latin Crossopterygii, from Greek krossos 'tassel' + pterux, pterug- 'fin'.
Definition of crossopterygian in US English:
crossopterygian
nounˌkrôˌsäptəˈrijēən
Zoology A lobe-finned fish, such as the coelacanth.
Example sentencesExamples
- The sarcopterygians include the lungfish, together with the crossopterygians, which are composed of coelacanths and the extinct rhipidistians.
- One group of extinct crossopterygians, known as the rhipidistians, are the group thought by most to be the ones that successfully invaded land and gave rise to amphibians.
- ‘Amphibians’ were held to be descended from rhipidistian crossopterygians and the closest living relative of amphibians was coelacanths.
- The coelacanths were a side group of crossopterygians who evolved along separate lines from the rhipidistians in the Devonian.
- These similarities have prompted evolutionists to confidently declare that crossopterygians evolved into tetrapods.
adjectiveˌkrôˌsäptəˈrijēən
Zoology Relating to crossopterygian fishes.
Example sentencesExamples
- After a light breakfast I studied a draft of a paper that we had just submitted on the new fossil crossopterygian fishes of the Aztec Siltstone.
- Latimeria is a ‘living fossil,’ a single surviving species of the old lineage of crossopterygian fishes.
- Large Bothriolepis plates were scattered around through the rocks with abundant crossopterygian bones and scales in the top units.
Origin
Mid 19th century: from modern Latin Crossopterygii, from Greek krossos ‘tassel’ + pterux, pterug- ‘fin’.