Deinonychus antirrhopus -Ostrom, 1969- cast of the skeleton
Archosauria:
Saurischia: Maniraptora: Dromeosauridae
Occurrence: Cloverly Formation; Wyoming,
Montana, North America
Age: Early Cretaceous (Aptian-Albian), 110 million years
ago
The
Early Cretaceous bipedal predator Deinonychus, known by several skeletons
from
the Cloverly Formation of Wyoming and Montana in North America,
is undoubtedly
one of the most spectacular dinosaurs.
This medium-sized and lightly-built bipedal
dinosaur was an agile predator with
strong grasping hands furnished with large
sharp claws
and a relatively long tail stiffened by long ossified tendons.
However,
the most notable peculiarity of Deinonychus is
a large scimitar-like talon on
the second toe.
(this
a popular view of Deinonychus' lifestyle but it may be incorrect or incomplete.)
