Anchiornithidae

Anchiornithidae is a family of small paravian dinosaurs. Anchiornithids have been classified at varying positions in the paravian tree, with some scientists classifying them as a distinct family, a basal subfamily of Troodontidae, members of Archaeopterygidae, or an assemblage of dinosaurs that are an evolutionary grade within Avialae or Paraves.

== Description == Anchiornithids share many general features with other paravians, including early avialans. They were small and lightly-built feathered carnivores, similar in biology to Archaeopteryx, early dromaeosaurids like Microraptor, and particularly troodontids. They are almost exclusively known from Late Jurassic Chinese deposits, although Ostromia was discovered in Germany and Yixianosaurus (a putative member of the group only known from forelimbs) is believed to hail from the early Cretaceous. Most had long legs, arms, and hands, although some (Eosinopteryx) had slightly reduced forelimbs.