anapsid reptile

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Noun

anapsid reptile - primitive reptile having no opening in the temporal region of the skull; all extinct except turtles

anapsid

reptile, reptilian - any cold-blooded vertebrate of the class Reptilia including tortoises, turtles, snakes, lizards, alligators, crocodiles, and extinct forms

Anapsida, subclass Anapsida - oldest known reptiles; turtles and extinct Permian forms

chelonian, chelonian reptile - a reptile of the order Chelonia

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References in periodicals archive ?

"With Eorhynchochelys's diapsid skull, we know that turtles are not related to the early anapsid reptiles (those without openings), but are instead related to evolutionarily more advanced diapsid reptiles," Rieppel concluded. Modern-day snakes and lizards also evolved from the diapsid population.

Ancient Shell-Less Turtle Species Identified

Anapsid reptiles have no holes there; diapsid reptiles have two -- upper and lower -- between their cheek bones.