Paraves

Paravians; Temporal range: ; Middle Jurassic–Present,
	Six paravian dinosaurs (top left to bottom right): Confuciusornis, Dromaeosaurus, Microraptor, Anchiornis, a crow, and the Prince Creek troodontid
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Clade:	Dinosauria
Clade:	Saurischia
Clade:	Theropoda
Clade:	Pennaraptora
Clade:	; Sereno, 1997
Subgroups
	†Imperobator; †Overoraptor?; †Palaeopteryx; †Pneumatoraptor; †Rahonavis; †Anchiornithidae; †Archaeopterygidae; †Dromaeosauridae; †Scansoriopterygidae?; †Troodontidae; †Unenlagiidae?; Avialae;
Synonyms
	Eumaniraptora Padian et al. 1999;

Paraves are a widespread group of theropod dinosaurs that originated in the Middle Jurassic period. In addition to the extinct dromaeosaurids, troodontids, anchiornithids, and possibly the scansoriopterygids, the group also contains the avialans, which include diverse extinct taxa as well as the over 11,000 species of living birds.^[3]

Basal members of Paraves are well known for the possession of an enlarged claw on the second digit of the foot, which was held off the ground when walking in some species.^[4] A number of differing scientific interpretations of the relationships between paravian taxa exist. New fossil discoveries and analyses make the classification of Paraves an active subject of research.^[5]

^ Zhang, H.; Wang, M.; Liu, X. (2008). "Constraints on the upper boundary age of the Tiaojishan Formation volcanic rocks in West Liaoning-North Hebei by LA-ICP-MS dating". Chinese Science Bulletin. 53 (22): 3574–3584. Bibcode:2008SciBu..53.3574Z. doi:10.1007/s11434-008-0287-4.
^ Motta, Matías J.; Agnolína, Federico L.; Eglia, Federico Brissón; Rozadillaa, Sebastián; Novas, Fernando E. (22 August 2025). "Phylogenetic relationships of Unenlagiidae among Paraves (Dinosauria)". Journal of Systematic Palaeontology. 23 (1). doi:10.1080/14772019.2025.2529608. Retrieved 22 August 2025.
^ Cite error: The named reference TurneretalBAMNH was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Cite error: The named reference Lietal2007 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Agnolin, Federico L.; Motta, Matias J.; Brissón Egli, Federico; Lo Coco, Gastón; Novas, Fernando E. (12 February 2019). "Paravian Phylogeny and the Dinosaur-Bird Transition: An Overview". Frontiers in Earth Science. 6. doi:10.3389/feart.2018.00252. hdl:11336/130197. ISSN 2296-6463.

[1] Zhang, H.; Wang, M.; Liu, X. (2008). "Constraints on the upper boundary age of the Tiaojishan Formation volcanic rocks in West Liaoning-North Hebei by LA-ICP-MS dating". Chinese Science Bulletin. 53 (22): 3574–3584. Bibcode:2008SciBu..53.3574Z. doi:10.1007/s11434-008-0287-4.

[2] Motta, Matías J.; Agnolína, Federico L.; Eglia, Federico Brissón; Rozadillaa, Sebastián; Novas, Fernando E. (22 August 2025). "Phylogenetic relationships of Unenlagiidae among Paraves (Dinosauria)". Journal of Systematic Palaeontology. 23 (1). doi:10.1080/14772019.2025.2529608. Retrieved 22 August 2025.

[TurneretalBAMNH-3] Cite error: The named reference TurneretalBAMNH was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[Lietal2007-4] Cite error: The named reference Lietal2007 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[:0-5] Agnolin, Federico L.; Motta, Matias J.; Brissón Egli, Federico; Lo Coco, Gastón; Novas, Fernando E. (12 February 2019). "Paravian Phylogeny and the Dinosaur-Bird Transition: An Overview". Frontiers in Earth Science. 6. doi:10.3389/feart.2018.00252. hdl:11336/130197. ISSN 2296-6463.

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