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Maniraptoran
Maniraptora is a clade of coelurosaurian dinosaurs which includes the birds and the non-avian dinosaurs that were more closely related to them than to '' Ornithomimus velox''. It contains the major subgroups Avialae, Dromaeosauridae, Troodontidae, Oviraptorosauria, and Therizinosauria. '' Ornitholestes'' and the Alvarezsauroidea are also often included. Together with the next closest sister group, the Ornithomimosauria, Maniraptora comprises the more inclusive clade Maniraptoriformes. Maniraptorans first appear in the fossil record during the Jurassic Period (see '' Eshanosaurus''), and survive today as living birds. Description Maniraptorans are characterized by long arms and three-fingered hands (though reduced or fused in some lineages), as well as a "half-moon shaped" ( semi-lunate) bone in the wrist ( carpus). In 2004, Tom Holtz and Halszka Osmólska pointed out six other maniraptoran characteristics relating to specific details of the skeleton. Unlike most other saurisch ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dinosaur
Dinosaurs are a diverse group of reptiles of the clade Dinosauria. They first appeared during the Triassic Geological period, period, between 243 and 233.23 million years ago (mya), although the exact origin and timing of the #Evolutionary history, evolution of dinosaurs is a subject of active research. They became the dominant terrestrial vertebrates after the Triassic–Jurassic extinction event 201.3 mya and their dominance continued throughout the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. The fossil record shows that birds are feathered dinosaurs, Evolution of birds, having evolved from earlier Theropoda, theropods during the Late Jurassic epoch, and are the only dinosaur lineage known to have survived the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event approximately 66 mya. Dinosaurs can therefore be divided into avian dinosaurs—birds—and the extinct non-avian dinosaurs, which are all dinosaurs other than birds. Dinosaurs are varied from taxonomy (biology), taxonomic, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dromaeosauridae
Dromaeosauridae () is a family of feathered coelurosaurian theropod dinosaurs. They were generally small to medium-sized feathered carnivores that flourished in the Cretaceous Period. The name Dromaeosauridae means 'running lizards', from Greek ('), meaning 'running at full speed', 'swift', and ('), meaning 'lizard'. In informal usage, they are often called raptors (after '' Velociraptor''), a term popularized by the film ''Jurassic Park''; several genera include the term "raptor" directly in their name, and popular culture has come to emphasize their bird-like appearance and speculated bird-like behavior. Dromaeosaurid fossils have been found across the globe in North America, Europe, Africa, Asia and South America, with some fossils giving credence to the possibility that they inhabited Australia as well. The earliest body fossils are known from the Early Cretaceous (145–140 million years ago), and they survived until the end of the Cretaceous (Maastrichtian stage, 66 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Scansoriopterygidae
Scansoriopterygidae (meaning "climbing wings") is an extinct family (biology), family of climbing and gliding maniraptoran dinosaurs. Scansoriopterygids are known from five well-preserved fossils, representing four species, unearthed in the Tiaojishan Formation fossil beds (dating to the mid-late Jurassic Period) of Liaoning and Hebei, China. ''Scansoriopteryx , Scansoriopteryx heilmanni'' (and its likely synonym ''Epidendrosaurus ninchengensis'') was the first non-avian dinosaur found that had clear adaptations to an arboreal or semi-arboreal lifestyle–it is likely that they spent much of their time in trees. Both specimens showed features indicating they were juveniles, which made it difficult to determine their exact relationship to other non-avian dinosaurs and birds. It was not until the description of ''Epidexipteryx hui'' in 2008 that a subadult specimen was known. In 2015, the discovery of an adult specimen belonging to the species ''Yi (dinosaur), Yi qi'' showed th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Paraves
Paraves are a widespread group of theropod dinosaurs that originated in the Middle Jurassic period. In addition to the extinct dromaeosauridae, dromaeosaurids, troodontidae, troodontids, Anchiornithidae, anchiornithids, and possibly the scansoriopterygidae, scansoriopterygids, the group also contains the Avialae, avialans, which include diverse extinct taxa as well as the over 11,000 species of living birds. Basal members of Paraves are well known for the possession of an enlarged claw on the second digit of the foot, which was held off the ground when walking in some species. A number of differing scientific interpretations of the relationships between paravian taxa exist. New fossil discoveries and analyses make the classification of Paraves an active subject of research. Description Like other theropods, all paravians are bipedal, walking on their two hind legs. The teeth of basal paravians were curved and serrated, but not blade-like except in some specialized species, suc ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nothronychus
''Nothronychus'' (meaning "slothful claw") is a genus of therizinosaurid theropod dinosaurs that lived in North America during the Late Cretaceous period. The type species, ''Nothronychus mckinleyi'', was described by James Kirkland and Douglas G. Wolfe in 2001. It was recovered near New Mexico's border with Arizona, in an area known as the Zuni Basin, from rocks assigned to the Moreno Hill Formation, dating to the Turonian stage of the Late Cretaceous. A second specimen, described in 2009 as a second species, ''Nothronychus graffami'', was found in the Tropic Shale of Utah, dating between one million and a half million years older than ''N. mckinleyi''. ''Nothronychus'' were bulky herbivorous theropods with wide, sloth-like hip (resembling that of the non-related ornithischians), four-toed feet with all four toes facing forward, elongated necks and prominent arms with sharp claws. Both species were similar in dimensions, but ''N. graffami'' was slightly more robust than ''N. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Migmanychion
''Migmanychion'' (meaning "claw mixture") is an extinct genus of maniraptoran theropod dinosaur from the Early Cretaceous Longjiang Formation of China. The genus contains a single species, ''M. laiyang'', known from an incomplete left forelimb. Discovery and naming The ''Migmanychion'' holotype specimen, LY 2022JZ3001, was discovered in sediments of the Longjiang Formation (Pigeon Hill locality), near Baoshan in Morin Dawa Daur Autonomous Banner, Inner Mongolia, China. The specimen consists of rib fragments and a partial left arm with a complete hand, preserved on a slab and counterslab. In 2023, Wang ''et al''. described ''Migmanychion laiyang'' as a new genus and species of maniraptoran theropod based on these fossil remains. The generic name, "''Migmanychion''", combines the Greek words "μείγμα νυχιών", meaning "claw mixture", referencing the difference in the morphology of the manual unguals. The specific name, "''laiyang''", references the holotype's ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Unquillosaurus
''Unquillosaurus'' (meaning "Unquillo river lizard") is a genus of large theropod dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous Los Blanquitos Formation of Salta Province, Argentina. Its precise classification is uncertain, but most researchers consider it as a maniraptoran. The genus contains a single species, ''U. ceibalii'', known only from a single fossilized pubis (a pelvic bone). Discovery and naming The holotype, PVL 3670-11, was found at Arroyo-Morterito in the Los Blanquitos Formation, dating to the Maastrichtian. The specimen, which consists of a left pubis measuring long, was re-studied by Fernando Novas and Federico Agnolin in 2004, who concluded that the orientation of the pubis had been misinterpreted: it pointed backwards, as was shown by the fossil still being attached to a displaced part of the pubic peduncle of the ilium. The type species ''Unquillosaurus ceibalii'' was described by Jaime Eduardo Powell in 1979. The generic name, "''Unquillosaurus''," is derived ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fukuivenator
''Fukuivenator'' ("hunter of Fukui Prefecture") is an extinct genus of maniraptoran theropod dinosaur from the Early Cretaceous of Japan. Discovery and naming The type species ''Fukuivenator paradoxus'' was named and described in 2016 by Yoichi Azuma, Xu Xing (paleontologist), Xu Xing, Masateru Shibata, Soichiro Kawabe, Kazunori Miyata and Takuya Imai. The generic name combines a reference to the Fukui prefecture with Latin ''venator'', "hunter". The specific name (zoology), specific name refers to the paradoxical combination of traits shown by the species. The rocks in which the skeleton of ''Fukuivenator'', holotype FPDM-V8461, was found in August 2007 belong to the Kitadani Formation, which is probably of Barremian or Aptian age. Radiometric dating of nearby rock units has given this formation an estimated age of somewhere between 127 and 115 million years old. The holotype consists of a partial skeleton with skull. The skeleton of ''F. paradoxus'' is currently the most c ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Therizinosauria
Therizinosaurs (; once called segnosaurs) are an extinct group of large herbivorous Theropoda, theropod dinosaurs whose fossils have been mainly discovered from Cretaceous deposits in Asia and North America. Potential fragmentary remains have also been found in Jurassic deposits of Asia and Europe. Various features of the forelimbs, skull and pelvis unite these finds as both theropods and maniraptorans, making them relatives of birds. The name of the representative genus, ''Therizinosaurus'', is derived from the Ancient Greek , Greek (, 'to reap' or 'scythe')Translated paper and (, 'lizard'). The older representative, ''Segnosaurus'', is derived from the Latin ('slow') and the Greek . History of research [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Yaverlandia
''Yaverlandia'' (meaning "of Yaverland Point/Yaverland Battery") is a genus of maniraptoran dinosaur. Known from a partial fossil skull (MIWG 1530) found in Lower Cretaceous strata of the Wessex Formation ( Upper Silty Bed; Vectis Formation) on the Isle of Wight. it was described as the earliest known member of the pachycephalosaurid family, but research by Darren Naish shows it to have actually been a theropod, seemingly a maniraptoran. The type species is ''Y. bitholus''.Galton, P.M. (1971) "A primitive dome-headed dinosaur (Ornithischia: Pachycephalosauridae) from the Lower Cretaceous of England and the function of the dome of pachycephalosaurids". ''Journal of Paleontology'', Vol. 45, No. 1, Pages 40–47. Discovery and naming MIWG 1530, the holotype skull, was discovered in 1930, in England and were commented upon by Watson (1930). It was referred to as an iguanodontid of the genus ''Vectisaurus'' in 1936. When Steel (1969) followed Hulke (1879) in listing ''Vectisaurus'' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Troodontidae
Troodontidae is a clade of bird-like theropod dinosaurs from the Late Jurassic to Late Cretaceous. During most of the 20th century, troodontid fossils were few and incomplete and they have therefore been allied, at various times, with many dinosaurian lineages. More recent fossil discoveries of complete and articulated specimens (including specimens which preserve feathers, eggs, embryos, and complete juveniles), have helped to increase understanding about this group. Anatomical studies, particularly studies of the most primitive troodontids, like '' Sinovenator'', demonstrate striking anatomical similarities with ''Archaeopteryx'' and primitive dromaeosaurids, and demonstrate that they are relatives comprising a clade called Paraves. Evolution The oldest definitive troodontid known is '' Hesperornithoides'' from the Late Jurassic of Wyoming. The slightly older '' Koparion'' of Utah is only represented by a single tooth, and small maniraptoran teeth from the Middle Jurassic ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
