View source for Metriacanthosauridae

{{Automatic taxobox
| fossil_range = [[Middle Jurassic]]-[[Early Cretaceous]], {{fossilrange|175.6|135}}
| image = Sinraptor dongi.jpg
| image_upright = 1.15
| image_caption = ''Sinraptor dongi'', Royal Tyrrell Museum
| display_parents = 2
| taxon = Metriacanthosauridae
| authority = [[Gregory S. Paul|Paul]], 1988
| type_species = {{extinct}}''[[Megalosaurus parkeri]]''
| type_species_authority = [[Friedrich von Huene|Huene]], 1923
| subdivision_ranks = Subgroups
| subdivision =
*{{extinct}}''[[Yangchuanosaurus]]''
*{{extinct}}''[[Xuanhanosaurus]]''
*{{extinct}}'''Metriacanthosaurinae'''
**{{extinct}}''[[Metriacanthosaurus]]''
**{{extinct}}''[[Shidaisaurus]]''
**{{extinct}}''[[Siamotyrannus]]''
**{{extinct}}''[[Sinraptor]]''
| synonyms =
* '''Sinraptoridae''' <small>[[Phil Currie|Currie]] & Zhao, 1993</small>
}}
'''Metriacanthosaurids''' were a [[Family (biology)|family]] of [[carnivore|carnivorous]] [[theropod]] [[dinosaur]]s. They tended to be large [[predator]]s, and some were 30 [[Foot (length)|ft]] (10 [[Metre|m]]) long. 

Metriacanthosaurids are [[Carnosauria|carnosaurs]]. At first they were classified in the [[Megalosauridae]] or [[Allosauridae]], now they are put in their own family. A gigantic tooth, which may come from a giant metriacanthosaurid, was described recently (2008).<ref>Xu X. & Clark J.M. 2008. The presence of a gigantic theropod in the Jurassic Shishugou Formation, Junggar Basin, western China. ''Vertebrata PalAsiatica'', '''46''': 158-160. [http://www.ivpp.cas.cn/xscbw/xsqk/gjzdwxb/xbwzxz/200811/W020090813369286986655.pdf] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303191350/http://www.ivpp.cas.cn/xscbw/xsqk/gjzdwxb/xbwzxz/200811/W020090813369286986655.pdf |date=2016-03-03 }}</ref>

== Classification ==
The Metriacanthosauridae is a [[Monophyly|monophyletic]] group. [[Cladistics|Cladistically]] it includes ''[[Metriacanthosaurus|Metriacanthosaurus parkeri]]'' and species closer related to ''Metriacanthosaurus'' than to ''[[Allosaurus|Allosaurus fragilis]]'', ''[[Carcharodontosaurus|Carcharodontosaurus saharicus]]'', or to birds. These [[Theropoda|theropods]] are close to the ancestors of the [[Allosauridae|allosaurs]].

Metriacanthosauridae is often referred to as "Sinraptoridae", but Metriacanthosauridae is the correct name under [[ICZN]] rules, since ''Metriacanthosaurus'' was the first member of the family to be described and named. 

The [[cladogram]] here follows a study by Benson and colleagues.<ref name="bensonetal2010">Benson R.B.J; Carrano M.T & Brusatte S.L. 2010.  A new clade of archaic large-bodied predatory dinosaurs (Theropoda: Allosauroidea) that survived to the latest Mesozoic. ''Naturwissenschaften'' '''97''' (1) 71–78 [http://www.springerlink.com/content/l496325vp2x32617/MediaObjects/114_2009_614_MOESM1_ESM.pdf Supporting Information]{{Dead link|date=January 2021 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

{{clade| style=font-size:100%;line-height:80%
|label1='''Metriacanthosauridae'''
                  |1={{clade
                     |1={{clade
                        |1=''[[Metriacanthosaurus]]''
                        |2=''[[Sinraptor]]''
                        }}
                     |label2= <<span style="color:white">unnamed</span>
                     |2={{clade
                        |1=''[[Poekilopleuron]]''
                        |2=''[[Lourinhanosaurus]]''
                        }}
                     }}
                  }}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Other websites==
{{wikispecies}}
*[http://www.taxonsearch.org/dev/taxon_edit.php?Action=View&tax_id=290 Taxon Search - Sinraptoridae] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717123642/http://www.taxonsearch.org/dev/taxon_edit.php?Action=View&tax_id=290 |date=2011-07-17 }}
*[http://www.thescelosaurus.com/carnosauria.htm Carnosauria] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090425151708/http://www.thescelosaurus.com/carnosauria.htm |date=2009-04-25 }}

[[Category:Carnosaurs]]