Definition
Maniraptora is a group of coelurosaurian dinosaurs that includes birds and their closest non-avian relatives. These dinosaurs are characterized by long arms and grasping hands, similar to those of birds. They possessed feathers or feather-like structures. This group is crucial in understanding the evolutionary link between dinosaurs and modern birds. Think of them as the transitional forms between reptiles and avians. Maniraptorans thrived during the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods.