Arctosauridae

Arctosauridae is a hypothetical family of extinct archosaurs that has been proposed in paleontology. The name Arctosauridae, meaning "bear lizards," was coined by paleontologist David B. Weishampel in the early 1990s. The concept of Arctosauridae has been largely theoretical, with no definitive fossil evidence ever discovered to support its existence as a distinct taxonomic group. Some researchers have suggested that if such a group existed, it might have been a basal lineage of archosaurs, potentially related to early dinosaurs or other crurotarsan reptiles. However, without clear fossil remains attributed to Arctosauridae, its status remains uncertain. The term is rarely encountered in modern paleontological literature, as research has focused on more clearly defined and well-supported groups of prehistoric reptiles. The existence of Arctosauridae has not been validated through the scientific process of fossil discovery and peer review, and it is not currently recognized as a valid family within the classification of archosaurs. Therefore, any discussion of Arctosauridae is speculative in nature, based on theoretical relationships rather than empirical evidence.