Theropods

Theropoda /θɨˈrɒpɵdə/, from Greek meaning "beast feet") is a suborder of saurischian dinosaurs. Theropods were ancestrally carnivorous (some times being piscivorous or insectivorous), although a number of theropod groups evolved herbivory, and omnivory. Theropods first appeared during the Carnian age of the Late Triassic period 231.4 million years ago (Ma) and included the sole large terrestrial carnivores from the Early Jurassic until at least the close of the Cretaceous, about 66 Ma. In the Jurassic, birds evolved from small specialized coelurosaurian theropods, and are today represented by thousands of living species.

On July 31, 2014, scientists reported details of the evolution of birds from other theropod dinosaurs. Among the features linking theropod dinosaurs to birds are a furcula (wishbone), air-filled bones, brooding of the eggs, and (in coelurosaurs, at least) feathers.