phytosaur

[ fahy-tuh-sawr ]

noun

1. any armored, semiaquatic reptile of the extinct order Phytosauria, of the Mesozoic Era, resembling the crocodile but unrelated, having the nostrils high on the snout and with well-developed hind limbs suggestive of bipedal ancestors.

Word History and Origins

Origin of phytosaur¹

< New Latin Phytosauria ( phyto-, -saur, -ia )

Example Sentences

The fossil fragments include three toothy, long-snouted phytosaur skulls.

From National Geographic

Their efforts paid off when what appears to be the snout of a phytosaur - a crocodile-like creature - was discovered sticking out of the cliff.

From Washington Times

This fossil locality contains the remains of a phytosaur - a reptile that looks like modern alligators and crocodiles but is only distantly related.

From New York Times

Our discoveries aren't limited to phytosaur bones.

From New York Times