dhrupad, in Hindustani music, ancient vocal musical form in four parts preceded by extensive introductory improvisation (alapa) and expanded by rhythmic and melodic elaborations. It is related to the shorter, later khayal, which has somewhat eclipsed the dhrupad in popularity. The classical

India: The tripartite struggle: The Rashtrakuta king Dhruva (reigned c. 780–793) attacked each in turn and claimed to have defeated them. This initiated a lengthy tripartite struggle. Dharmapala soon retook Kannauj and put his nominee on the throne. The Rashtrakutas were preoccupied with problems in the south. Vatsaraja’s successor, Nagabhata II (reigned…

dhrupad, in Hindustani music, ancient vocal musical form in four parts preceded by extensive introductory improvisation (alapa) and expanded by rhythmic and melodic elaborations. It is related to the shorter, later khayal, which has somewhat eclipsed the dhrupad in popularity. The classical

The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was created in response to the catastrophic failures of communication, coordination, and information-sharing within the U.S. federal government that contributed to the terror attacks of September 11, 2001. In a bid to create an agency that

Dhū al-faqār, in Islāmic mythology, the two-pointed magical sword that has come to represent ʿAlī, fourth caliph and son-in-law of Muḥammad. Originally owned by an unbeliever, al-ʿĀṣ ibn Munabbih, Dhū al-faqār came into Muḥammad’s possession as booty from the Battle of Badr (624). He in turn passed

India: Cracks in the core: His principal opponent was Ẓulfiqār Khan (Dhū al-Fiqār Khan), a powerful Iranian noble, who was the chief bakhshī of the empire and the viceroy of the Deccan. Ẓulfiqār negotiated an unusual agreement allying the three other princes against ʿAẓīm al-Shān and setting forth a partitioned, jointly ruled empire with…

Islamic calendar: …long except for the 12th, Dhū al-Ḥijjah, the length of which is varied in a 30-year cycle intended to keep the calendar in step with the true phases of the moon. In 11 years of this cycle, Dhū al-Ḥijjah has 30 days, and in the other 19 years it has…

Selim I: Selim’s subjugation of the Dulkadir (Dhū al-Qadr) principality of Elbistan (now in Turkey) brought the Ottomans into conflict with the Mamluk rulers of Syria and Egypt, who regarded Dulkadir as their protégé. Selim defeated the Mamluk armies at the battles of Marj Dābiq (north of Aleppo; August 24, 1516)…

Dānishmend dynasty: …ad-Dawlah in Malatya-Elbistan—and his son Dhū an-Nūn in Kayseri. After Yağibasan’s death (1164), the Seljuq sultan Qïlïj Arslan II intervened repeatedly in the affairs of the Sivas and Kayseri branches and finally invaded Dānishmend territory; but he was stopped by Dhū an-Nūn’s father-in-law, Nureddin of Mosul. Nureddin died in 1174,…

Dhū an-Nūnid Dynasty, 11th-century Muslim Berber dynasty of Toledo that ruled central Spain from Guadalajara and Talavera to Murcia during the unruly period of the party kingdoms (ṭāʾifahs). As early as the mid-8th century the Banū Zannūn—their name was later Arabicized—had settled northeast of

Arabian religion: South Arabia: About 523 ce Yūsuf Asʾar Yathʾar (nicknamed Dhū Nuwās by the Muslim tradition), a Himyarite king of Jewish faith, persecuted and killed numerous miaphysite Christians in Najrān, on the northern frontier of Yemen. He also killed Byzantine merchants elsewhere in his kingdom. Outraged by the massacre and pressed…

Arabian religion: South Arabia: …gods worshipped in South Arabia, Dhū Samāwī (“the Heavenly One”) was presented by Bedouin tribes with votive statuettes of camels to ensure the well-being of their herds. Kāhil, the national god of the central Arabian kingdom of Qaḥṭān in Qaryat al-Faʾw, was assimilated there to Dhū Samāwī. He was also…

Dhubri, town, western Assam state, northeastern India. It is situated on the Brahmaputra River, just east of the Bangladesh border. Dhubri is a trade center for rice, jute, fish, and other products. A match factory is the major industry. The town has road and rail connections with neighboring

Dhubri, town, western Assam state, northeastern India. It is situated on the Brahmaputra River, just east of the Bangladesh border. Dhubri is a trade center for rice, jute, fish, and other products. A match factory is the major industry. The town has road and rail connections with neighboring

Dhofar, historical region in southern Oman, extending from Cape Al-Sharbatāt on the coast of the Arabian Sea southwestward to the Oman-Yemen border. The region’s northern boundary has never been defined, but generally included in the territory is the Wadi Mughshin, located about 150 miles (240 km)

Mongolia: Agriculture, forestry, and fishing: The Tsaatan keep small herds of reindeer in the northern part of the country.

Dhule, city, northwestern Maharashtra state, western India. It is located in an upland region on major road and rail routes. In early Muslim times it belonged to the Faruquis, but later, in 1601, it became part of the Mughal Empire. It was conquered by the Marathas in the 18th century and ceded to

Dhule, city, northwestern Maharashtra state, western India. It is located in an upland region on major road and rail routes. In early Muslim times it belonged to the Faruquis, but later, in 1601, it became part of the Mughal Empire. It was conquered by the Marathas in the 18th century and ceded to

South Asian arts: South India: …instrumental compositions, called gat and dhun. The emphasis on the composition varies in the different forms of song and, to some extent, in the interpretation of the performer. In South Indian music the composed piece is generally emphasized more than in the North. Much of the South Indian repertoire of…

Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown, county in the province of Leinster, eastern Ireland. The county of Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown was created in 1994 when the geographic county of Dublin was split administratively into three separate units. It now constitutes the southern component of the Greater Dublin

Rajasthan: Population composition: …are Marwari in western Rajasthan, Jaipuri or Dhundhari in the east and southeast, Malvi in the southeast, and in the northeast Mewati, which shades off into Braj Bhasa (a Hindi dialect) toward the border with Uttar Pradesh.

Sthanakavasi, a modern subsect of the Shvetambara (“White-robed”) sect of Jainism, a religion of India. The group is also sometimes called the Dhundhia (Sanskrit: “searchers”). The Sthanakavasi, whose name refers to the subsect’s preference for performing religious duties at a secular place such as

Madhya Pradesh: Relief: The Dhupgarh Peak (4,429 feet [1,350 metres]), near Pachmarhi in south-central Madhya Pradesh, is the state’s highest point. Northwest of the Vindhya Range is the Malwa Plateau (1,650 to 2,000 feet [500 to 600 metres]). Other features include the Rewa Plateau, in the rugged eastern region…

Dhurandhar, Bollywood spy thriller in two parts, directed by Aditya Dhar and starring Ranveer Singh as an Indian operative on an undercover mission in Pakistan. The series consists of Dhurandhar (2025; “Expert”) and Dhurandhar: The Revenge (2026). The films, ranked among the five highest-grossing

Dhurandhar: The series consists of Dhurandhar (2025; “Expert”) and Dhurandhar: The Revenge (2026). The films, ranked among the five highest-grossing Indian movies, collectively earned more than 3,000 crore rupees (more than $355 million) worldwide. They attracted both praise and controversy for their allegedly hypernationalist stance.

Dhurandhar: …of Dhurandhar (2025; “Expert”) and Dhurandhar: The Revenge (2026). The films, ranked among the five highest-grossing Indian movies, collectively earned more than 3,000 crore rupees (more than $355 million) worldwide. They attracted both praise and controversy for their allegedly hypernationalist stance.

ceremonial object: Protective devices and markers of sacredness: The standard (dhvaja) in the Brahmanic cults takes on the appearance of a high column (dhvaja-stambha) erected in front of temples and is surmounted by a divine effigy, most often that of the sacred steed, or vahana, of the god. Simultaneously a signal (because of its height)…

dyal, popular species of magpie-robin

dhyāna, in Indian philosophy, a stage in the process of meditation leading to Nirvāṇa. See Buddhist

Dhyani-Buddha, in Mahayana Buddhism, and particularly in Vajrayana (Tantric) Buddhism, any of a group of five “self-born” celestial buddhas who have always existed from the beginning of time. The five are usually identified as Vairochana, Akshobhya, Ratnasambhava, Amitabha, and Amoghasiddhi.

di, in music, transverse (or side-blown) bamboo flute of the Han Chinese. Traditional di have a membrane of bamboo or reed tissue covering the hole that is located between the mouth hole and the six finger holes. This membrane creates a distinctive sound characteristic of much Chinese flute music.

diopside, common silicate mineral in the pyroxene family that occurs in metamorphosed siliceous limestones and dolomites and in skarns (contact-metamorphic rocks rich in iron); it is also found in small amounts in many chondrite meteorites. Clear specimens of good green colour are sometimes cut as

Shangdi, ancient Chinese deity, the greatest ancestor and deity who controlled victory in battle, harvest, the fate of the capital, and the weather. He had no cultic following, however, and was probably considered too distant and inscrutable to be influenced by mortals. Shangdi was considered to be

Klaus Dibiasi is a former diver who dominated the platform event from the late 1960s to the mid-1970s, winning three Olympic gold medals. He was the first Italian to win a gold medal in a diving event. Dibiasi was born in Austria. His parents were both Italian, and the family later moved to Italy.

Manuela Di Centa is an Italian Nordic skier who was the only athlete to win five Olympic medals in cross-country skiing at a single Winter Games (1994). A dominant force on the international level, she also won 15 World Cup events and 2 overall titles (1994 and 1996). A child prodigy, Di Centa was

Roman religion: The earliest divinities: Di Indigetes was a name given collectively to these forebears, as well as to other deified powers or spirits who likewise controlled the destiny of Rome. For example, the name Indiges is applied to Aeneas, whose mythical immigration from Troy led to the eventual foundation of…

Roman religion: The earliest divinities: Di Indigetes was a name given collectively to these forebears, as well as to other deified powers or spirits who likewise controlled the destiny of Rome. For example, the name Indiges is applied to Aeneas, whose mythical immigration from Troy led to the eventual foundation of…

Vietnam: Relief: …the Da Lat area, the Di Linh Plateau is about 4,900 feet (1,500 meters).

Italy: The victory of populist parties: …Salvini and Five Star leader Luigi Di Maio proceeded, there emerged the possibility of a Euroskeptic, left and right populist coalition that EU officials dubbed the “nightmare scenario.”

Roman religion: The earliest divinities: The Di Manes, collective powers (later “spirits”) of the dead, may mean “the good people,” an anxious euphemism like the Greek name of “the kindly ones” for the Furies. As a member of the family or clan, however, the dead man or woman would, more specifically, be…

Jimmy Wilde: …fought the American flyweight champion, Young Zulu Kid (Giuseppe Di Melfi), on Dec. 18, 1916. With his 11th-round knockout, Wilde became the first world flyweight champion, a title that he held until he was knocked out in the seventh round by Pancho Villa of the Philippines on June 18, 1923.…

Roman religion: The earliest divinities: …be one of the Di Parentes; reverence for ancestors was the core of Roman religious and social life. Di Indigetes was a name given collectively to these forebears, as well as to other deified powers or spirits who likewise controlled the destiny of Rome. For example, the name Indiges is…

Penates, household gods of the Romans and other Latin peoples. In the narrow sense, they were gods of the penus (“household provision”), but by extension their protection reached the entire household. They are associated with other deities of the house, such as Vesta, and the name was sometimes

Antonio Di Pietro is an Italian jurist and politician who uncovered a wide-ranging government corruption scandal that led to the prosecution of some of Italy’s top business executives and politicians during the late 20th century. Di Pietro was raised in modest circumstances and served a brief stint

Diane di Prima was an American poet, one of the few women of the Beat movement to attain prominence. After attending Swarthmore (Pennsylvania) College (1951–53), di Prima moved to New York City’s Greenwich Village, living the bohemian lifestyle that typified the Beat movement. Her first book of

Roberto Ridolfi was a Florentine conspirator who attempted in 1570–71 to overthrow Queen Elizabeth I of England in favour of Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots, who then was to be married to Thomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk. Ridolfi intended to secure these results by the murder of Elizabeth and a

Belgium: Federalized Belgium: …Socialists took shape, with Socialist Elio Di Rupo at its head. A career politician, Di Rupo had built a reputation as a talented negotiator. He was sworn in on December 6, 2011, becoming Belgium’s first Socialist prime minister since 1974, its first Francophone prime minister in more than three decades,…

Alfredo Di Stéfano was an Argentine-born football (soccer) player and manager, regarded as one of the greatest centre forwards in football history. His reputation was based largely on his performance for the Spanish club Real Madrid (1953–64), for which he was an intelligent player with exceptional

Wendi: … (Heavenly Deaf One), the other Di Ya (Earthly Mute). The names suggest that Wendi must turn a deaf ear to those who inquire about the secrets of literature, for such a topic necessarily leaves one speechless.

Hebe, (from Greek hēbē, “young maturity,” or “bloom of youth”), daughter of Zeus, the chief god, and his wife Hera. In Homer this princess was a divine domestic, appearing most often as cupbearer to the gods. As the goddess of youth, she was generally worshiped along with her mother, of whom she

Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), the primary gatherer and producer of military intelligence in the United States. It was established on October 1, 1961, by direction of the U.S. secretary of defense to act as the central intelligence manager for the Department of Defense and to support the

Colorado: Transportation and telecommunications: Denver International Airport is a major hub in the country’s air traffic pattern. It is served by almost all major U.S. airlines; carriers link Denver with other Colorado cities, with neighboring states, and with international destinations. Railroad lines in Colorado are mainly bulk-freight carriers using…

Dia Art Foundation, multidisciplinary contemporary arts organization based in New York, New York, U.S. The nonprofit foundation fosters art projects and houses art installations at various locations in the United States. Its name is derived from the Greek word meaning “through” and indicates the

Mexico: Holidays and festivals: …12) is celebrated as the Día de la Raza (“Race Day”) in recognition of the mixed indigenous and European heritage of Mexico—the mestizo character of its population—and because many Mexicans object to paying homage to the controversial explorer and conqueror Christopher Columbus. Labour Day (May 1) in Mexico is part…

Day of the Dead, holiday in Mexico, also observed to a lesser extent in other areas of Latin America and in the United States, honoring deceased loved ones and making peace with the eventuality of death by treating it familiarly, without fear and dread. It is typically observed on November 1 and 2.

Day of the Dead, holiday in Mexico, also observed to a lesser extent in other areas of Latin America and in the United States, honoring deceased loved ones and making peace with the eventuality of death by treating it familiarly, without fear and dread. It is typically observed on November 1 and 2.

Juanes: …album, the bright and energetic Un día normal (“A Normal Day”), which included the chart-topping songs “A Dios le pido” (“I Ask God”), an anthem for peace, and “Fotografia” (“Photograph”), a duet with Canadian pop singer Nelly Furtado. Un día normal won five awards at the 2003 Latin Grammys, including…

José Batlle y Ordóñez: …when he founded the newspaper El Día. Shortly thereafter he joined the Colorado Party, one of the two ruling political parties of Uruguay, and in 1890 he started work to transform his party into a nationwide democratic political organization. He was elected to the Uruguayan Chamber of Deputies in 1893…

Dia Art Foundation: The museum, known as Dia Beacon, houses the centre’s major collection, which focuses on works from the 1960s to the present. The space is on the banks of the Hudson River, and the galleries are named after Louise and Leonard Riggio, major benefactors to the centre. The expansive building…

2020 Beirut explosion: On August 5 Prime Minister Hassan Diab declared a state of emergency; by the next week, Diab and his entire cabinet had resigned their positions amid intense criticism.

diabase, fine- to medium-grained, dark gray to black intrusive igneous rock. It is extremely hard and tough and is commonly quarried for crushed stone, under the name of trap. Although not popular, it makes an excellent monumental stone and is one of the dark-coloured rocks commercially known as

diabase: …the characteristic texture known as diabasic or ophitic. The larger pyroxene grains may completely enclose plagioclase; but as the quantity of the latter increases, pyroxene appears more interstitial.

Béla Fleck: Collaborations: …undertook with Malian kora master Toumani Diabaté were later released as The Ripple Effect (2020).

Diabelli Variations, Op. 120, group of musical variations for solo piano by Ludwig van Beethoven, completed in 1823 and considered one of his monumental works for the instrument. By manipulating tempi, dynamics, and themes and by adding ornamentation, parodic elements, and references to the works

Anton Diabelli was an Austrian music publisher and composer best known for his waltz, or Ländler, on which Ludwig van Beethoven wrote his 33 variations for piano (Diabelli Variations, 1823). Diabelli intended to enter the priesthood and entered the monastery at Raitenhaslach, where his studies were

diabetes, either of two disorders of the endocrine system. For information about the disorder caused by the body’s inability to produce or respond to insulin and characterized by abnormal glucose levels in the blood, see diabetes mellitus. For information about the disorder characterized by

diabetes insipidus, pathological endocrine condition characterized by excessive thirst and excessive production of very dilute urine. The disorder is caused by a lack of antidiuretic hormone (vasopressin) or a blocking of its action. This hormone, produced by the hypothalamus, regulates the

diabetes mellitus, disorder of carbohydrate metabolism characterized by impaired ability of the body to produce or respond to insulin and thereby maintain proper levels of sugar (glucose) in the blood. Diabetes is a major cause of morbidity and mortality, though these outcomes are not due to the

diabetic nephropathy, deterioration of kidney function occurring as a complication of diabetes mellitus. The condition is characterized primarily by increased urinary excretion of the protein albumin, increased blood pressure, and reduced glomerular filtration rate (the average rate at which wastes

diabetic ketoacidosis, complication of diabetes mellitus, characterized by an abnormal acceleration in the breakdown of fat to supply the body with energy that results in excess levels of acidic substances called ketones in the blood. Diabetic ketoacidosis typically develops gradually, but if left

diabetic nephropathy, deterioration of kidney function occurring as a complication of diabetes mellitus. The condition is characterized primarily by increased urinary excretion of the protein albumin, increased blood pressure, and reduced glomerular filtration rate (the average rate at which wastes

diabetic nephropathy, deterioration of kidney function occurring as a complication of diabetes mellitus. The condition is characterized primarily by increased urinary excretion of the protein albumin, increased blood pressure, and reduced glomerular filtration rate (the average rate at which wastes

Claude Autant-Lara: …Le Diable au corps (1947; Devil in the Flesh).

Raymond Radiguet: …Le Diable au corps (1923; The Devil in the Flesh), which remains a unique expression of the poetry and perversity of an adolescent boy’s love.

Fanny Elssler: Her sensational success in Le Diable boiteux (1836), in which she introduced the Spanish cachucha, challenged Taglioni’s supremacy. To unseat her rival, still called the greatest classical ballerina, she made one attempt in Taglioni’s favourite ballet, La Sylphide; the endeavour was most unsuccessful, since she lacked Taglioni’s lightness and…

Devils Island, rocky islet off the Atlantic coast of French Guiana. The smallest of the three Îles du Salut, about 10 miles (16 km) from the mainland and the Kourou River mouth, it is a narrow strip of land about 3,900 feet (1,200 metres) long and 1,320 feet (400 metres) broad, mostly covered by

Robert The Devil, legendary son of a duke of Normandy, born in answer to prayers addressed to the devil. He uses his immense strength only for crime. Directed by the pope to consult a certain holy hermit, he is delivered from his curse by maintaining absolute silence, feigning madness, taking his

Sebastian Wilhelm Valentin Bauer: …built the 52-foot iron submarine Le Diable-Marin (“The Marine Devil”), carrying a crew of 11, 4 of whom worked a treadmill that drove a screw propeller. Through windows in this submarine Bauer made what were probably the first underwater photographs. He also experimented with underwater sound for signaling and with…

diablerie, a representation in words or pictures of black magic or of dealings with the devil. Among the literary works that contain such representations are Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “Young Goodman Brown” and Sylvia Townsend Warner’s Lolly Willowes. The word is French and means “devilry,”

top: …game known for centuries as Ko-en-gen was introduced in Europe as diablo and became the rage. A spool (“devil”) was whipped up by a cord, tossed up by the player, and caught again on the cord. The hexagonal teetotum (known to the ancient Greeks and Romans), marked distinctively on each…

Diablo, groundbreaking fantasy role-playing electronic game released in 1997 by the American company Blizzard Entertainment (now Activision Blizzard). Set in and under the fictional city of Tristam, Diablo sent players on a journey through a series of dungeons to eventually do battle with Diablo,

Luis Vélez de Guevara: His fantastic satirical novel, El diablo cojuelo (1641; “The Crippled Devil”), became well-known from its adaptation by the French dramatist Alain Lesage as Le Diable boiteux (1707; The Devil upon Two Sticks).

Diablo Range, segment of the Pacific Coast Ranges (see Pacific mountain system) in west-central California, U.S. It extends southeastward for about 180 miles (290 km) from the solitary 3,849-foot (1,173-metre) Mount Diablo within Mount Diablo State Park (Contra Costa county), about 20 miles (30 km)

Fifteen Puzzle, puzzle consisting of 15 squares, numbered 1 through 15, which can be slid horizontally or vertically within a four-by-four grid that has one empty space among its 16 locations. The object of the puzzle is to arrange the squares in numerical sequence using only the extra space in the

procellariiform: Importance to humans: The related black-capped petrel, or diablotin (P. hasitata), of the West Indies was also thought extinct (because of predation by humans, rats, and mongooses) until in 1961 a substantial population, estimated to number at least 4,000 birds, was found breeding in the inaccessible forested cliffs of Hispaniola.

Les Diaboliques, French suspense film, released in 1955, that is considered a classic of the genre. It was based on the novel Celle qui n’était plus (1952; “She Who Was No More”) by Pierre Boileau and Thomas Narcejac. The film is set in a decrepit French school for boys that is run by an

Les Diaboliques: A sexualized 1996 remake, titled Diabolique, starred American actors Sharon Stone and Chazz Palminteri as the mistress and her victim and French actress Isabelle Adjani in the wife role.

Jules-Amédée Barbey d’Aurevilly: Les Diaboliques (1874; Weird Women), a collection of six short stories, is often considered his masterpiece.

Les Diaboliques, French suspense film, released in 1955, that is considered a classic of the genre. It was based on the novel Celle qui n’était plus (1952; “She Who Was No More”) by Pierre Boileau and Thomas Narcejac. The film is set in a decrepit French school for boys that is run by an

cucumber beetle, any of several species of leaf beetles of the subfamily Galerucinae that are important pests. Cucumber beetles are greenish yellow in color, between 2.5 and 11 mm (up to 0.5 inch) long, and marked with black spots or stripes. The striped cucumber beetle (Acalymma vittatum) has two

cucumber beetle: …wing cover (elytron), and the spotted cucumber beetle (D. undecimpunctata) has black spots on each wing cover. They both feed on garden plants, and their larvae feed on the roots. The green-colored D. longicornis eats corn pollen and silk; the root-feeding larvae are known as corn rootworms.

radical: Unstable radicals: Diacetyl peroxide, for example,is considered to decompose, at least in large part, into carbon dioxide, CO2, and methyl radicals. These, in turn, rapidly attack most organic solvents, often by abstracting hydrogen to given methane, CH4, together with other products. Irradiation of solutions of many organic…

heroin, highly addictive morphine derivative that makes up a large portion of the illicit traffic in narcotics. Heroin is classified as an opioid depressant, a category of psychoactive drugs that slow central nervous system activity while producing analgesia (pain relief) and euphoria. Heroin is

historical linguistics, the branch of linguistics concerned with the study of phonological, grammatical, and semantic changes, the reconstruction of earlier stages of languages, and the discovery and application of the methods by which genetic relationships among languages can be demonstrated.

phonology: Diachronic (historical) phonology examines and constructs theories about the changes and modifications in speech sounds and sound systems over a period of time. For example, it is concerned with the process by which the English words “sea” and “see,” once pronounced with different vowel sounds…

deacon, (from Greek diakonos, “helper”), a member of the lowest rank of the threefold Christian ministry (below the presbyter-priest and bishop) or, in various Protestant churches, a lay official, usually ordained, who shares in the ministry and sometimes in the governance of a congregation. In

sacristy: …rooms beside the apse, the diaconicon and the prothesis, were used for these purposes.

diacritic, a mark near or through an alphabetic character to represent a pronunciation different from that of the unmarked character. Diacritics are often used to represent sounds (whether phonemes or other phonetic units) unavailable in an existing script. For example, the modern alphabets of the

fat: Chemical composition of fats: Monoglycerides and diglycerides are partial esters of glycerol and have one or two fatty-acid radicals, respectively. They are seldom found in natural fats except as the products of partial hydrolysis of triglycerides. They are easily prepared synthetically, however, and have important applications mainly because of their ability…

Diadectes, extinct genus of tetrapods closely related to the first amniotes (mammals, birds, reptiles, and their relatives). Members of this genus have been found as fossils in Carboniferous and Lower Permian rocks in North America (360 million to 270 million years ago). Diadectes shares a mixture