Prestosuchids

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A group of extinct reptiles known as predatory archosaurs that lived during the Triassic period and are characterized by specific skull and limb features
2. Members of an ancient lineage of carnivorous reptiles from the Triassic era distinguished by their robust bodies and distinctive anatomical traits
3. Triassic-era predatory reptiles recognized for their unique skeletal structures and classification within early archosaur groups

Etymology: Prestosuchids belong to a group of extinct archosaurs (close relatives of crocodilians and birds) whose name is built from the genus Prestosuchus. That genus name combines the Greek "presto-", meaning "quick" or "rapid" in the sense of "fast", with "suchus", a Greek-derived element for the crocodile god Sobek, to give a name roughly meaning "fast crocodile". The suffix "-id", used in zoology for members of a family or group, turns the genus into the family name, and the plural form simply counts its members. The name was thus coined by scientists, not drawn from ancient usage. Because "suchus" points to a crocodile-like body, the word tells you the group was seen as crocodile-related, even though these animals were not crocodiles and lived earlier in the Triassic period.