FIGURE 4. Strict consensus cladogram.

The eight most parsimonious trees (length 497, consistency index 0.45, retention index 0.65) for 28 theropod taxa, including Juravenator starki and 189 variables, are shown (see Supplementary Information). In spite of lacking feathers in the preserved integumentary portions, Juravenator starki is grouped together with coelurosaur clades known for having feathery coverings⁶. Plumulaceous and/or pennaceous feathers have been discovered in taxa assigned to Tyrannosauroidea (namely Dilong²¹; in this cladogram, tyrannosauroids are represented by the more advanced Tyrannosaurus and Albertosaurus), Compsognathidae (namely Sinosauropteryx^12,16), Alvarezsauridae (namely Shuvuuia²³), Oviraptorosauria (namely Caudipteryx²⁴), Dromaeosauridae (namely Microraptor²⁵ and Sinornithosaurus²⁶) and Aves (namely Archaeopteryx and Confuciusornis)²⁸.