Caudipteridae
| Caudipterids Temporal range: Early Cretaceous, 125–120 Ma |
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| Replica of a Caudipteryx zoui skeleton | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Clade: | Dinosauria |
| Order: | Saurischia |
| Suborder: | Theropoda |
| Clade: | †Oviraptorosauria |
| Family: |
†Caudipteridae Zhou & Wang, 2000 |
| Type species | |
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†Caudipteryx zoui Ji et al., 1998 |
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| Genera | |
| Synonyms | |
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Caudipteridae is a family of oviraptorosaurian dinosaurs known from the Early Cretaceous of China. Found in the Yixian and Jiufotang Formations, the group existed between 125-120 million years ago. Distinguishing characteristics of this group have been indicated as including a unique dagger-shaped pygostyle (the bone at the tip of the tail in birds, used to anchor a "fan" of feathers). No clade definition has been given.
The first caudipterid described was Caudipteryx zoui (named in 1998), though the family itself was not named until the discovery of a second species, Caudipteryx dongi, in 2000. Caudipteridae was restricted to the single genus Caudipteryx and was therefore monotypic, containing only a single type and often considered redundant. However, in 2008 Similicaudipteryx yixianensis was described and classified as a caudipterid.
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