Avetheropoda
Avetheropoda is a clade of theropod dinosaurs within the larger group Theropoda, situated among the Tetanurae. It was defined phylogenetically as the most inclusive clade containing Allosaurus fragilis and birds (Aves) but excluding Ceratosaurus nasicornis. In practical terms, Avetheropoda encompasses theropods that are more closely related to birds than to Ceratosaurus, serving as a backbone for several later theropod lineages.
The composition of Avetheropoda is widely treated as consisting of two major lineages: Allosauroidea and Coelurosauria.
The fossil record of Avetheropoda extends from the Middle Jurassic through the Late Cretaceous, with the clade
See also: theropod evolution, Coelurosauria, Allosauroidea, Tyrannosauroidea, Maniraptoriformes.