Coelurosaur Phylogeny

["Ivan Kwan" <dino_rampage@hotmail.com>]

HELP!!! I've been seriously confused by the recent state of coelurosaur 
systematics.

I've always thought that critters like Deltadromeus, Ornitholestes & 
Compsognathus were considered basal coelurosaurs. Next in line were the 
Maniraptoriformes, consisting of tyrannosaurs, ornithomimosaurs & true 
maniraptors. Within the maniraptors, therizinosaurs & oviraptorosaurs formed 
a clade of their own, troodonts were part of deinonychosauria (which formed 
the Eumaniraptora along with the Avialae) And alvarezsaurs were just a weird 
bunch of maniraptors nobody knew where to place.

Just a broad "sequence" like the one below(I know evolution doesn't really 
work in straight lines, but it's just a sketch)

Deltadromeus > Ornitholestes > Compsognathus > Tyrannosaurus > Gallimimus > 
Therizinosaurus > Oviraptor > Shuvuuia > Troodon > Deinonychus > Avialae

But recently however, it seems that Ornitholestes & the compsognathids 
appear to occupy the maniraptoriformes, above the tyrannosaurs & even the 
ornithomimosaurs. Does anyone have any news on the more recent general 
coelurosaur classifications? (I know there are probably thousands of those 
out there; just a few will suffice)


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