Suborder Maniraptora (Noun)
Meaning
Advanced theropods including oviraptorids and dromaeosaurs and possibly even modern birds.
Classification
Nouns denoting animals.
Examples
- The suborder Maniraptora is a group of advanced theropod dinosaurs that includes oviraptorids and dromaeosaurs, as well as the ancestors of modern birds.
- Maniraptora is characterized by the presence of highly specialized hands and feet, as well as a range of other adaptations that distinguish them from more primitive theropods.
- The suborder Maniraptora is thought to have originated during the Jurassic period, and its members went on to dominate many ecosystems during the Cretaceous period.
- Some scientists believe that the suborder Maniraptora may have given rise to the first modern birds, which would make them the direct ancestors of all modern avian species.
- The discovery of feathered fossils within the suborder Maniraptora has provided strong evidence for the link between these theropod dinosaurs and modern birds.