1993年8月13日的日本與蒙古聯合考察期間,在布爾坎地區(阿基里斯龍的初始發現地)發現了一個大型驰龙科爪子。[4]後來在2010年,日本古生物學家渡部真人及同事記載了其他顱後骨骼的發現,全都屬於一種大型驰龙科。[5]2007年蒙古古生物學家瑞欽·巴思缽(英语:Rinchen Barsbold)及其團隊記載了於2005年至2006年蒙古科學院考察期間,在巴彥思楞組閃俄庫度(Shine Us Khuduk)地區發現新的恐龍化石,其中有一個單獨的第二趾骨第二節與阿基里斯龍及某種傷齒龍科有共同特徵。[6]
嵌合體爭議
與其他驰龙科不同的是,阿基里斯龍骨盆具有一些蜥臀目祖徵(英语:Plesiomorphy and symplesiomorphy),如恥骨垂直對齊且有個相對較大的恥靴(末端有個大型擴張),其他大多數驰龙科的恥靴通常小很多。保存的脊椎非常厚實並帶有一系列側凹。上述差異使柏罕姆的團隊於2000年提出阿基里斯龍的正模標本實際上是個嵌合體,只有趾爪才是來自驰龙科。[7]
2009年菲力·柯里(英语:Philip J. Currie)與尼克·朗里奇(Nicholas R. Longrich)的研究首先將真驰龙類定義為基幹演化支,包含由驰龙、伶盜龍、恐爪龍、蜥鳥盜龍的最近共同祖先及其所有後代構成的最廣自然群體。其下數個亞科也被重新定義為演化支,通常定義為與亞科同名物種較接近、而離其他較遠的所有物種所構成的演化支。[14]
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^Watabe, M.; Tsogtbaatar, K.; Suzuki, S.; Saneyoshi, M. Geology of dinosaur-fossil-bearing localities (Jurassic and Cretaceous: Mesozoic) in the Gobi Desert: Results of the HMNS-MPC Joint Paleontological Expedition. Hayashibara Museum of Natural Sciences Research Bulletin. 2010, 3: 41−118.
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