Maniraptors
by Ara B.
The Maniraptor’s evolution was a pulley-shaped wrist bone. This bone looked like a crescent moon. This was a small part of the wrist joint. It was connected to other bones and probably slid more efficiently than that of the old, flat wrist bone. This evolution probably made the flapping, gliding, or snatching motion easier. It did because a round shape slides more easily because it has no corners. If it has corner it takes more energy to move around that corner than it would to move around a circle. Three examples of a Maniraptor are the Deinonychus, Archaeopteryx, and Seagull.
Last updated April 7, 2007.