Deinonychus was part of the dromaeosaurid or "raptor" family, a group of dinosaurs that were all lightly built, birdlike, and agile. These dinosaurs were also well known for their oversized “killing claw” on each foot that assisted them in bringing down prey. It was actually the description of Deinonychus in 1969 by John Ostrom that brought forth the idea that dinosaurs were fast and warm-blooded, like their modern descendants: birds. Before then, most paleontologists believed that dinosaurs were slow-moving and cold-blooded animals like today’s lizards.
Deinonychus is thought to have hunted in packs, as footprints have been discovered that show many of them all traveling together. Hunting in groups would have allowed these dinosaurs to overpower larger prey that would be difficult to bring down alone, such as the Tenontosaurus. However, some evidence suggests that unlike most modern pack hunting animals, Deinonychus packs were quite uncoordinated, and may have turned on each other after they made a kill.
Deinonychus was actually the basis for the “Velociraptors” depicted in the Jurassic Park franchise. Michael Crichton originally wrote the raptors in his books as Deinonychus, but thought the name “Velociraptor” sounded fiercer. Ultimately, the filmmakers decided to stick with his decision, and despite even designing the raptors as Deinonychus, they still referred to them as “Velociraptors” although the real Velociraptor was far smaller and more lightly built than Deinonychus.
Deinonychus is thought to have hunted in packs, as footprints have been discovered that show many of them all traveling together. Hunting in groups would have allowed these dinosaurs to overpower larger prey that would be difficult to bring down alone, such as the Tenontosaurus. However, some evidence suggests that unlike most modern pack hunting animals, Deinonychus packs were quite uncoordinated, and may have turned on each other after they made a kill.
Deinonychus was actually the basis for the “Velociraptors” depicted in the Jurassic Park franchise. Michael Crichton originally wrote the raptors in his books as Deinonychus, but thought the name “Velociraptor” sounded fiercer. Ultimately, the filmmakers decided to stick with his decision, and despite even designing the raptors as Deinonychus, they still referred to them as “Velociraptors” although the real Velociraptor was far smaller and more lightly built than Deinonychus.