Name:
Deinonychus (Greek for "terrible claw"); pronounced die-NO-nie-cussHabitat:
Forests of North AmericaHistorical Period:
Middle Cretaceous (100 million years ago)Size and Weight:
About 12 feet long and 150 poundsDiet:
Herbivorous dinosaursDistinguishing Characteristics:
Light, sleek build; giant claws on hind feetAbout Deinonychus:
If Deinonychus looks familiar, that's because it was popularized in Jurassic Park under the catchier name Velociraptor (real Velociraptors were actually much smaller than the fast, sleek predators depicted in Steven Spielberg's movie).
Although it was far from the biggest dinosaur of Cretaceous times, Deinonychus was especially fearsome because of its speed, its presumed ability to hunt in packs (a behavioral trait that's disputed by some paleontologists), and the enormous, sickle-shaped claws on its hind feet that it used to rip apart larger herbivores. We can thank the paleontologist John H. Ostrom, who discovered the first specimen, for much of what we currently know about Deinonychus.
As with other raptors, the actual appearance of Deinonychus is a matter of debate: today, it's often depicted with primitive feathers, though its skin may well have been more reptilian in appearance.
