鳥獸腳類（学名：Avetheropoda）是獸腳亞目堅尾龍類的一個演化支，包含肉食龍下目與虛骨龍類[1]。在1988年，保羅·塞里諾（Paul Sereno）提出鳥獸腳類的概念，最初使用嗜鳥龍、美頜龍、異特龍科、暴龍科、以及部分阿貝力龍科（例如印度鱷龍）作為分類的基準點[2]。在1994年，湯瑪斯·霍爾茲（Thomas R. Holtz）正式建立鳥獸腳類（Avetheropoda）的名稱。同樣在1994年，保羅·塞里諾與其他科學家建立新堅尾龍類（Neotetanurae）演化支，範圍與鳥獸腳類接近[3]。由於鳥獸腳類的正式命名，早於新堅尾龍類約一個月，鳥獸腳類成為正式的名稱[1][4]。
在1999年，凱文·帕迪恩（Kevin Padian）將鳥獸腳類做出定義，範圍是脆弱異特龍與家麻雀的最近共同祖先，與其最近共同祖先的所有後代[5][6]。湯瑪斯·霍爾茲、菲力·居爾（Phil Chure）曾分別提出相同範圍的鳥獸腳類定義[7][8]。
參考文獻
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^ 1.0 1.1 Holtz Jr., T. R., Molnar, R. E. & Currie, P. J. 2004. Basal Tetanurae. In: The Dinosauria, ed. D.B. Weishampel, P. Dodson & H. Osmólska.University of California Press, Berkeley, D.B. Weishampel, P. Dodson & H. Osmólska. Ed. University of California Press71-110.
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^ Paul, G. S. 1988. Predatory dinosaurs of the world. Simon and Schuster. New York. Simon and Schuster.464 p.
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^ Sereno, P. C., Wilson, J. A., Larsson, H.C. E., Dutheil, D. B. & Cavigelli, J. P. 1994. Dinosaur evolution on southern continents; new evidence from Cretaceous deposits in the Sahara. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. Abstracts of papers. Fifty-fourth Annual Meeting. Society of Vertebrate Paleontology. Burke Museum. University of Washington. Seattle. Washington, October 19-22, 14, supplement to number 3, 45A.
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^ Paul, G. S. 2002. Dinosaurs of the Air. The Hopkins University Press. The Hopkins University Press. 460 pp.
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^ Sereno, P. C. 1998. A rationale for phylogenetic definitions, with application to the higher-level taxonomy of Dinosauria. Neues Jahrbuch fur Geologie und Palaeontologie. Abhandlungen, 210, 1, 41-83.
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^ Padian, K., Hutchinson, J. R. & Holtz, R., Jr. 1999. Phylogenetic definitions and nomenclature of the major taxonomic categories of the carnivorous dinosauria (Theropoda). Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 19, 1, 69-80.
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^ Holtz, T. 2000. Estimating the theropod phylogeny: fragments, outgroups, and "functional complexes". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. Abstracts of papers. Sixtieth annual meeting. Society of vertebrate paleontology, Mexico City, Mexico, October 25-28, 20, Supplement to number 3, 49A.
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^ Chure, D. J. 2001. The second record of the African theropod Elaphrosaurus (Dinosauria, Ceratosauria) from the Western Hemisphere. Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie, Monatshefte, 2001, 9, 566-576.
