Theropoda (theropod /ˈθɛrɵpɒd/; suborder name Theropoda /θɨˈrɒpɵdə/, from Greek meaning “beast feet”) is both a suborder of bipedal saurischian dinosaurs, and a clade consisting of that suborder and its descendants (including modern birds). Dinosaurs belonging to the suborderTheropoda were primarily carnivorous, although a number of theropod groups evolved herbivory,omnivory, and insectivory. Theropods first appeared during the Carnian age of the late Triassicperiod 231.4 million years ago (Ma)[1] and included the sole large terrestrial carnivores from theEarly Jurassic until at least the close of the Cretaceous, about 66 Ma. In the Jurassic, birdsevolved from small specialized coelurosaurian theropods, and are today represented by 10,000 living species.
(From Wikipedia, February 2015)