Saurischia
Theropods
233–66 Ma
39
vault species
167
million years
What is a Theropod?
Theropods are bipedal saurischian dinosaurs characterized by hollow bones, three-toed feet, and — in most lineages — reduced forelimbs. The group encompasses all meat-eating dinosaurs and is the direct ancestor of modern birds.
First appearance
~233 Ma (Late Triassic)
Survivors today
~10,000 species of birds
Largest known
Spinosaurus (~14–15 m)
Smallest known
Microraptor (~60 cm wingspan)
Diet range
Carnivore, piscivore, omnivore, herbivore
Evolution & History
Theropods first appear in the Late Triassic around 233 million years ago and quickly diversified into the dominant predators of every subsequent period. From the chicken-sized Compsognathus to the 14-meter Spinosaurus, the group spans an extraordinary size range — yet all share the same fundamental body plan: bipedal stance, grasping hands, and a skull built for predation.
The evolutionary story of theropods is one of constant reinvention. The Triassic saw small, fast coelophysoids like Coelophysis. The Jurassic brought the great allosaurs and megalosaurs. The Cretaceous was defined by two parallel dynasties: the enormous carcharodontosaurs and spinosaurids in Gondwana, and the tyrannosaurs in Laurasia — with a third radiation of feathered coelurosaurs quietly diversifying into what would become birds.
By the Late Cretaceous, feathered theropods had produced not just birds but an astonishing array of forms: the scythe-clawed therizinosaurs, the crested oviraptors, the sickle-footed dromaeosaurids. The line between "dinosaur" and "bird" dissolves entirely in this period — every living bird is, technically, a theropod dinosaur.
The Diversity of the Predator Line
213 Ma → 68 Ma
Key Species in the Record
Eoraptor
One of the earliest theropods, ~231 Ma
Herrerasaurus
Earliest large predatory dinosaur, ~231 Ma
Deinonychus
In vault →Sparked the Dinosaur Renaissance — overturned the cold-blooded lizard model
Anchiornis
In vault →First non-avian dinosaur with chemically confirmed plumage coloration, ~160 Ma
Archaeopteryx
In vault →First feathered theropod with flight feathers, ~150 Ma
Stratigraphic Range
Click any row to expand family-level detail. Amber dots are DinoVault species.
In the Vault
Eodromaeus
Eodromaeus murphi
Liliensternus liliensterni
Coelophysis
Coelophysis bauri
Dilophosaurus
Dilophosaurus wetherilli
Cryolophosaurus
Cryolophosaurus ellioti
Megalosaurus
Megalosaurus bucklandii
Yi qi
Epidexipteryx
Epidexipteryx hui
Anchiornis huxleyi
Guanlong wucaii
Monolophosaurus
Monolophosaurus jiangi
Yangchuanosaurus
Yangchuanosaurus shangyouensis
Allosaurus
Allosaurus fragilis
Archaeopteryx lithographica
Ceratosaurus
Ceratosaurus nasicornis
Compsognathus
Compsognathus longipes
Acrocanthosaurus
Acrocanthosaurus atokensis
Caudipteryx zoui
Utahraptor
Utahraptor ostrommaysorum
Concavenator
Concavenator corcovatus
Sinosauropteryx
Sinosauropteryx prima
Yutyrannus
Yutyrannus huali
Carcharodontosaurus
Carcharodontosaurus saharicus
Microraptor
Microraptor gui
Deinonychus
Deinonychus antirrhopus
Citipati osmolskae
Giganotosaurus
Giganotosaurus carolinii
Megaraptor
Megaraptor namunhuaiquii
Gigantoraptor
Gigantoraptor erlianensis
Oviraptor
Oviraptor philoceratops
Velociraptor
Velociraptor mongoliensis
Ornithomimus
Ornithomimus edmontonicus
Bambiraptor
Bambiraptor feinbergorum
Carnotaurus
Carnotaurus sastrei
Gallimimus
Gallimimus bullatus
Therizinosaurus
Therizinosaurus cheloniformis
Troodon
Troodon formosus
Deinocheirus
Deinocheirus mirificus
Majungasaurus
Majungasaurus crenatissimus