labyrinthodont
/ˌlabəˈrɪnθədɒnt
/adjective
1 Zoology (Of teeth) having the enamel deeply folded to form a labyrinthine structure.
1.1 Palaeontology Relating to a group of large fossil amphibians of the late Devonian to early Triassic periods having labyrinthodont teeth.On land there was a major faunal turnover in which labyrinthodont amphibians, early reptile groups, and mammal-like reptiles died out and were replaced by archosaurs, lepidosaurs, and mammals....
- Finding labyrinthodont amphibian vertebrae and lungfish teeth, we took several bags of matrix to wash.
- Whether it was a labyrinthodont amphibian or a primitive reptile has been much disputed.
noun
A labyrinthodont amphibian.
- Former subclass Labyrinthodontia: several families, but no longer considered to be a single group.
- Two main types of early amphibians include the large powerfully built labyrinthodonts and the small, slender lepospondyls.
- All of these Palaeozoic and early Mesozoic amphibians are called labyrinthodonts and lepospondyls, based on features of their teeth and vertebrae.
Origin
Mid 19th century: from modern Latin Labyrinthodontia, from Greek laburinthos 'labyrinth' + odous, odont- 'tooth'.