These animals are all Saurischian dinosaurs.
Although there are many more Saurischians, including all living birds, we will focus on these five.
Most Saurischians have long, flexible necks, a large curved claw on the thumb and a second finger that is longer than the others.
Theropods are bipedal predators that have a reduced number of fingers, an enlarged pelvis, a flexible lower jaw, and a head that has a wide range of motion around the neck joint.
Maniraptorans are characterized by very long arms, hands that are longer than their feet, and an unusual wrist bone.
The dinosaur lineage can be divided into nested groups based on inherited features.
Because of the many shared skeletal features, birds are considered to be Maniraptorans. It is equally correct to say that birds are a type of Theropod, or even a type of Saurischian dinosaur.
All animals inside the box are dinosaurs.
They share certain features inherited from an earlier common ancestor.
Although birds are part of the dinosaur lineage, birds do something no other dinosaur ever did.
Birds fly.
The evolution of flight is the focus of our exploration.