What are the Crurotarsi?
Q: What are the Crurotarsi?
A: The Crurotarsi is one of the two main groups of archosaurs.
Q: Which animals are included in the Crurotarsi?
A: The Crurotarsi includes the archosaurs (living today are crocodiles and birds), and all their ancestors and relatives right back to the early Triassic period, including the Pseudosuchia.
Q: What are the subgroups of Crurotarsi?
A: The subgroups of Crurotarsi are Avemetatarsalia, †Pterosauria, †Dinosauria, Aves (birds), the crocodile line, Pseudosuchia, †Phytosauria, †Aetosauria, †Ornithosuchidae, Crocodylomorpha (Crocodilia and their ancestors), and †Rauisuchia.
Q: What are the Phytosauria?
A: The Phytosauria are semi-aquatic long-snouted types.
Q: What are the Aetosauria?
A: The Aetosauria are quadrupedal armored herbivores.
Q: What are the Ornithosuchidae?
A: The Ornithosuchidae look rather like dinosaurs.
Q: Why are the main groups of archosaurs defined by features of their ankle joints?
A: The main groups of archosaurs are defined by features of their ankle joints because they are considered to be key features that distinguish the groups from each other.
