Differential
The Masillaraptor genus is different from all other genus of known birds, the beak, toe and phalanges are in different proportions along with other parts as well. These have been described by Mayr as follows:
–The Messelasturidae (Mayr 2005) (including Messelastur Peters 1994 and Tynskya Mayr 2000a) in, e.g.: beak proportionally much longer,and with straight culmen, tarsometatarsus proportionally longer, proximal phalanx of second toe shortened, middle phalanges of fourth toe proportionally shorter.
–The raptor-like, long-legged early Eocene Neocathartes Wetmore 1950 (which actually is a member of the Cariamae, see Wetmore 1944, 1950; Olson 1985) and all phorusrhacoid birds in: carpometacarpus with narrower spatium intermetacarpale and straight os metacarpale minus, proximal phalanx of second toe shortened.
–The superficially raptor-like early Eocene ForoOlson 1992 in: beak longer, carpometacarpus with narrower spatium intermetacarpale and straight os metacarpale minus, proximal phalanx of second toe and second and third phalanges of fourth toe shortened.
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