Re: Definitions

[Thomas_R_HOLTZ@umail.umd.edu (th81)]

>  Many thanks to those who provided answers to my vertebral question.  
>One more area of confusion lately has been in the terms: maniraptorial 
>and sinraptor, obviously having to do with the hands of theorpods. Any 
>enlightenment on these terms would be much appreciated.

Maniraptora (really should have been Manuraptores, but it's too late for
that ) is a clade of coelurosaurian dinosaurs comprising birds,
dromaeosaurids, and possibly some of the following: troodontids,
oviraptorosaurs, Microvenator, Ornitholestes, therizinosauroids (aka
segnosaurus), tyrannosaurids, ornithomimids (although, by the original
definition, these cannot be included).  The name means "hand snatchers", and
refers to the derived 'grabby' hands of these dinosaurs.

Sinraptor means 'Chinese theif/robber/snatcher/etc.'.  It is a carnosaur,
closely related to Yangchuanosaurus, and to a lesser degree Allosaurus and
its kin.

Thomas R. Holtz, Jr.
Vertebrate Paleontologist
Dept. of Geology
University of Maryland
College Park, MD  20742
Email:Thomas_R_HOLTZ@umail.umd.edu (th81)
Fax: 301-314-9661
Phone:301-405-4084