Maniraptora

Maniraptors ("hand snatchers") is a clade of coelurosaurian dinosaurs starting in the Jurassic period.

Maniraptorans Temporal range: Late Jurassic–Present, Possible Early Jurassic record
Skeleton cast of Falcarius utahensis
Scientific classification
Unrecognized taxon (fix):	Maniraptoromorpha
Clade:	Maniraptoriformes
Clade:	Maniraptora Gauthier, 1986
Subgroups
†Elopteryx †Kakuru †Yaverlandia †Alvarezsauroidea Maniraptora Media Microraptor specimen with feather impressions A Canada Goose flying near Oceanville, New Jersey, USA. Reconstruction of Patagonykus puertai. Based on Novas (1997); missing portions follow typical alvarezsaurid proportions (e.g. Shuvuuia) Therizinosaurus Restoration Citipati osmolskae Restoration Artistic restoration of Dromaeosaurus albertensis Saurornithoides restoration Confuciusornis plumage pattern Jinfengopteryx elegans specimen with seeds preserved in the stomach region †Therizinosauria Pennaraptora
Synonyms
Metornithes Perle et al., 1993

Many paleontologists believe birds evolved from them some 150 or so million years ago. Hence, according to phylogenetic taxonomy, birds are by definition maniraptors, and the other maniraptors are their closest relatives. It is now known, from the Jehol biota, that many or all of this clade had feathers. They are often called dinobirds.

The most primitive (basal) member of the group may be Ornitholestes, and the most advanced (derived) of the non-bird maniraptors is Velociraptor and Deinonychus.