From Encyclopedia Jr, free information reference for Kids
Archosauromorpha (Greek for "ruling lizard forms") is an Infraclass of diapsid reptiles that first appeared during the late Permian and became more common during the Triassic. Included in this infraclass are the orders Rhynchosauria, Trilophosauridae, Prolacertiformes, Archosauriformes, and, tentatively, the Choristodera. While superficially these reptiles vary in appearance (at one time they were even included in different subclasses-- the Trilophosaurs were considered Euryapsids, and the Rhynchosaurs were considered lepidosaurs and were included in the same order as the tuatara), they are actually united by a number of small skeletal and skull-related details that suggest they form a clade that descended from a single common ancestor.
Of the five taxa mentioned above, the first three died out at or prior to the end Triassic extinction. The Choristoderans continued as a minor group until the Miocene, and the Archosauriformes were important factors in early Triassic environments before giving rise to the even more successful Archosauria.
[edit] Classification
Subclass Diapsida
- Infraclass ARCHOSAUROMORPHA
- Order Prolacertiformes
- ?Longisquama
- Order Rhynchosauria
- Order Trilophosauria
- ?Order Choristodera
- Archosauriformes
- Family Proterosuchidae
- Family Erythrosuchidae
- Family Euparkeriidae
- Family Proterochampsidae
- Archosauria
- Crurotarsi
- Order Crocodilia (crocodiles)
- Ornithodira
[edit] External links