Deinonychus
Deinonychus is nowhere near the biggest carnivore on the planet, but this Cretaceous predator is one of the most fearsome. An agile and intelligent hunter, it is one scary dinosaur.
Gang warfare
A single Deinonychus would be a handful, but a whole pack would cause even the biggest dinosaurs trouble.
Palaeontologists believe that these are pack hunters, gathering to attack sauropod dinosaurs such as Tenontosaurus - a meal that would keep a whole gang of these dinosaurs fed for quite some time.
Deadly claw
Deinonychus derives its name from the huge claw on its second toe. The claw is so large that it would get in the way when Deinonychus walks, unless the dinosaur can keep it pulled back: retracted from the ground, like a cocked trigger on a gun. The claw is undoubtedly a fearsome weapon, but no one has got close enough to see precisely how it’s used. Palaeontologists once presumed that Deinonychus would slash through the flesh of its unfortunate victim, but palaeontologists now believe the claw was used to stab at the victim’s arteries and windpipe instead.
Popularity: 7% [?]
Viewed 482 times by 202 viewers
