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Clade
Subclade

Taxon
Taxon
Deinonychosauria
Nominal Author
Colbert and Russell 1969
2nd Nominal Author
Taxon Status ACTIVE
Comments

Padian (1997:40) provided the first definition for Deinonychosauria, a stem-based definition repeated a second time in the same volume (Currie and Padian 1997:166). Sereno (1997) used boldface to indicate a node-based definitional type for Deinonychosauria, the definition for which appeared the following year (Sereno 1998). Padian et al. (1999) swapped Neornithes for birds as an internal specifier in a definition that otherwise matched the earlier definition in Padian (1997).

Padian et al. (1999) also remarked that Sereno’s node-based definition is “consistent” with a taxon-based definition given in Gauthier (1986). A stem-based definition, however, is equally consistent; taxon-based definitions do not specify the polarity of inclusion and so are consistent with either node-or stem-based definitons. The reason given by Padian et al. (1999) for prefering a stem-based definition is that Troodontidae has been placed closer to ornithomimids. If this were to occur, however, Deinonychosauria would then only include dromaeosaurids and closest relatives, a very different taxonomic content than originally proposed (Colbert and Russell 1969).

Another way to handle the situation that is to tie the name Deinonychosauria to the inclusion of both Dromaeosauridae and Troodontidae. In this way, the name would be faithful to its long held taxonomic content and would not be used in other circumstances (e.g. Senter et al. 2004). This is done in the active definition, which is node-based but includes a negative taxon specifier for the only alternative phylogenetic locations that have been proposed for troodontids (i.e. closer to ornithomimids or closer to birds).

Potential Synonomy

Active Phylogenetic Definition
Active Definition
The least inclusive clade containing Troodon formosus Leidy 1856 and Velociraptor mongoliensis Osborn 1924 but excluding Ornithomimus edmontonicus Parks 1933, Passer domesticus (Linnaeus 1758).
Shorthand
< Troodon formosus and Velociraptor mongoliensisOrnithomimus edmontonicus, Passer domesticus.
Definitional Author
Sereno 2005
Definition Status checked
Definition Type NODE
Node-Stem Triplet NODE
Other Triplet Taxa
Troodontidae, Dromaeosauridae
Specifiers
Specifier(s) A
Troodon formosus
Specifier(s) B
Velociraptor mongoliensis
Specifier(s) C
Qualifiers
+Taxon
-Taxon
Ornithomimus edmontonicus, Passer domesticus
Datum
Taxonomic Content
Publication Year Unknown
Unknown
Unknown
1998

Inactive Taxon Status
Rejection Criteria
Critique
 

Definitional History #1
Earliest Record
All maniraptorans closer to Deinonychus than to birds.
Latest Record
Padian 1997:40
Range (My)
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Deinonychus, birds
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Definitional History #2
Earliest Record
Troodon, Velociraptor, their most recent common ancestor and all descendants.
Latest Record
Sereno 1998:65
Range (My)
Range (My)
Troodon, Velociraptor
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Definitional History #3
Earliest Record
All maniraptorans closer to Deinonychus than to Neornithes.
Latest Record
Padian et al. 1999:73
Range (My)
Range (My)
Deinonychus, Neornithes
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Definitional History #10
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