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Therapsids, previously known as the "mammal-like reptiles", are a group of synapsids. Traditionally, synapsids were referred to as reptiles (amniotes), however the taxon also includes the mammals, which are descended from the cynodont therapsids.
Three orders of therapsids survived into the Triassic. Two of these, the dicynodonts and cynodonts, flourished but then mostly died out during the Carnian, Upper Triassic.
Some exceptions were the yet still further derived eucynodonts. At least three groups of them survived.
- The extremely mammal-like family, Tritylodontidae, survived into the Lower Cretaceous.
- An extremely mammal-like family, Tritheledontidae, are unknown beyond the Lower Jurassic.
- The third group, Morganucodon and similar animals, were stem-mammals.
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