kids encyclopedia robot

Tetanuran facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
Tetanurans
Temporal range: Jurassic
Sinraptor hepingensis.jpg
Sinraptor hepingensis
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Phylum:
Class:
Superorder:
Order:
Suborder:
Subgroups

Tetanurae

The tetanurans are a clade which includes most theropod dinosaurs, including birds. Tetanurans first appear in the Jurassic. It is a large group of theropod dinosaurs. Gauthier's paper was the first serious application of the science of cladistics to vertebrate paleontology.

The term refers to the stiff tail which was held above the ground as a counterweight when the animal walked or ran.

Tetanurae are defined as all theropods more closely related to modern birds than to Ceratosaurus. Gauthier considered it to consist of Carnosauria and Coelurosauria. Modern birds are the only living representatives of the clade Tetanurae.

Images for kids

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Tetanurae para niños

kids search engine
Tetanuran Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.