anthracoptilid

English

Noun

anthracoptilid (plural anthracoptilids)

1. (zoology) Any member of the extinct insect family Anthracoptilidae.
   • 2015 July 23, “Phylogeny of Dictyoptera: Dating the Origin of Cockroaches, Praying Mantises and Termites with Molecular Data and Controlled Fossil Evidence”, in PLOS ONE‎^[1], →DOI:

     Given the controversial nature of anthracoptilids around both their taxonomic affinity and their possession of raptorial forelegs, we cannot confirm whether raptorial legs were already present in stem-mantis lineages or if it is a crown-mantis apomorphy that would have been a key acquisition for their diversification, after competitors had disappeared.