arthrodira
|ar-thro-di-ra|
🇺🇸
/ˌɑrθroʊˈdaɪrə/
🇬🇧
/ˌɑːθrəˈdaɪərə/
jointed-neck placoderm
Etymology
'arthrodira' originates from Greek, specifically the elements 'arthro-' and 'deirē', where 'arthro-' meant 'joint' and 'deirē' meant 'neck'.
'arthrodira' was coined as a Neo-Latin taxonomic name (19th century scientific usage) from the Greek roots 'arthro-' + 'deirē' and became the modern scientific name 'arthrodira' for the order of jointed-neck placoderms.
Initially, it literally meant 'jointed neck', but over time it came to denote the taxonomic group 'arthrodira' (the order of joint-necked placoderms).
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a taxonomic order of extinct armored jawed fishes (placoderms) from the Silurian to Devonian periods, characterized by a movable joint between the head shield and the thoracic armor.
Fossils of arthrodira provide crucial evidence about early jaw evolution.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/10/22 21:48