Amnionata

/ˌæmniːoʊˈneɪtə/ noun

Definition

Animals that possess an amnion; creatures whose embryos develop within an amniotic membrane, including reptiles, birds, and mammals.

Etymology

From amnion plus the Latin collective suffix -ata. This is a formal zoological classification term for the major group of vertebrates with this adaptation.

Kelly Says

Amnionata includes you, eagles, snakes, and dinosaurs—but not fish or frogs, which is why fish eggs die if they dry out but bird eggs can sit in a nest: the amnion is a water-carrying suitcase.

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