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clade · 12 represented species

Maniraptora

Maniraptora is a coelurosaurian theropod lineage that includes dromaeosaurids, troodontids, oviraptorosaurs, therizinosaurs and birds.

Explore this branch Parent: Coelurosauria

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Maniraptora

The page URL and title are included automatically. Optional contact details are used only to discuss this report. Do not submit private information or precise sensitive fossil-site coordinates.

Representative silhouette for Maniraptora
4Direct child groups
5Countries represented
165–0 MaDataset range

Definition

Characteristics and significance

Maniraptorans preserve many stages in the evolution of feathers, wing-like forelimbs, nesting behaviour and the avian body plan.

  • Elongated forelimbs and grasping hands
  • Semilunate wrist bone allowing the hand to fold
  • Pennaceous feathers documented across several branches

Name meaning: Hand snatchers

Branch structure

Direct branches in this dataset

family

Dromaeosauridae

Open branch clade

Avialae

Open branch clade

Oviraptorosauria

Open branch clade

Therizinosauria

Open branch

Representative taxa

Dinosaurs in this branch

Feathered life reconstruction of Velociraptor mongoliensis by Fred WierumArt by Fred Wierum · CC BY-SA 4.0

Cretaceous

Velociraptor mongoliensis

A turkey-sized, fully feathered dromaeosaurid from Mongolia's Late Cretaceous deserts. Its real anatomy includes wing feathers, a long stiffened tail and an enlarged second-toe claw—but not the human-sized, scaly body made famous by films.

carnivore~2 m
Feathered life reconstruction of Deinonychus antirrhopus by Fred WierumArt by Fred Wierum · CC BY-SA 4.0

Cretaceous

Deinonychus antirrhopus

A feathered Early Cretaceous dromaeosaurid with a raised second-toe claw, grasping hands and a reinforced tail. John Ostrom's study of it helped transform the modern view of dinosaurs as active, bird-like animals.

carnivore~3.3 m
Feathered side-view life reconstruction of Utahraptor ostrommaysiArt by Fred Wierum · CC BY-SA 4.0

Cretaceous

Utahraptor ostrommaysi

The largest well-supported dromaeosaur, a powerfully built Early Cretaceous predator from eastern Utah known from scattered type material, larger BYU individuals and a remarkable multi-age sandstone block still being prepared.

carnivore~5.5 m
Feathered life reconstruction of Changzhousaurus sinensisArt by Connor Ashbridge · CC BY 4.0

Cretaceous

Changzhousaurus sinensis

A tiny, nearly complete feathered pennaraptoran from Early Cretaceous China, preserving enormous wings, feathered feet and a fan of about 16 exceptionally long tail feathers.

carnivore~0.34 m
Side-view feathered life reconstruction of Jian changmaensisArt by Connor Ashbridge · CC BY 4.0

Cretaceous

Jian changmaensis

A newly named microraptorine from northwestern China, represented by one articulated shoulder and forelimb from fossil beds otherwise famous for early birds.

carnivoreSize unknown
Four-winged life reconstruction of Microraptor gui by Fred WierumArt by Fred Wierum · CC BY-SA 4.0

Cretaceous

Microraptor gui

A crow-sized dromaeosaur with long flight feathers on all four limbs, a feathered tail fan and direct fossil evidence for glossy iridescent plumage.

carnivore~0.77 m

Distribution

Geographic record

Mongolia · United States · China · Argentina · Germany

Country-level summary of represented seed records, not a complete range map.

Sources

Further reading

Introduction to the DinosauriaDinosaur Paleobiology