ornithomimida
Học thuậtThân thiện
A paleontologist carefully brushes the fossilized skeleton of an ornithomimida.
Definition
Noun: 1. A group of lightly built, medium-sized theropod dinosaurs: Ornithomimida is a clade of theropod dinosaurs characterized by their ostrich-like appearance, with long necks, small heads, and slender, powerful hind limbs adapted for running.
Usage Examples
- The fossils discovered belong to the clade Ornithomimida, indicating a fast-running dinosaur.
- Ornithomimida includes genera like and , known as "ostrich dinosaurs."
- Paleontologists study the bone structure of Ornithomimida to understand the evolution of cursorial (running) adaptations.
Advanced Usage
- In scientific classification, Ornithomimida is often used interchangeably with Ornithomimosauria, though some phylogenetic studies distinguish between them as subgroups.
- The term is used in a taxonomic context to describe the shared derived characteristics (synapomorphies) of this dinosaur group.
Variants and Related Words
- Ornithomimid (noun): A member of the Ornithomimida group.
- Gallimimus is a well-known ornithomimid.
- Ornithomimosauria (noun): A broader or synonymous clade name often used in modern phylogenetics.
- Ornithomimus (noun): The type genus from which the group name is derived.
Synonyms
- Ostrich dinosaurs (informal/common name)
- Ornithomimosaurs
Notes on Meaning
This term is highly specialized and used almost exclusively in scientific contexts, particularly in paleontology and evolutionary biology. It refers to a specific taxonomic grouping rather than a single species.
A paleontologist carefully brushes the fossilized skeleton of an ornithomimida.
Noun
- lightly built medium-size theropods