This group of predatory dinosaurs includes such famous names as Deinonychus, Microraptor, and Velociraptor, and they’re among the most well-studied and popular dinosaurs of all time. This episode, we’ll discuss what sets these dinosaurs apart, as well the much-discussed and -debated questions surrounding their relationships to birds, their distinctive claws and wings, and their hunting strategies.

In the news: ant-mimic spiders, fishapod spinal column, early dinosaur growth, and a fossil tapeworm.

Time markers:Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00News: 00:05:20Main discussion, Part 1: 00:33:00Main discussion, Part 2: 01:13:50Patron question: 02:22:05

Check out our website for this episode’s blog post and more: http://commondescentpodcast.com/

Links mentioned in the announcements:Palestine Children’s Relief Fund: https://www.pcrf.net/ Jewish Voice For Peace: https://www.jewishvoiceforpeace.org/take-action/

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The Intro and Outro music is “On the Origin of Species” by Protodome. More music like this at http://ocremix.org

Musical Interludes are "Professor Umlaut" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0