Chilong (running-dragons)

    Identification:

                           I.  Kitadanisaurus (based on other  Deinonychosauria)
                           II.  Koreanosaurus (based on other  Deinonychosauria)
                           III.  Nuthetes destructor (based on other  Deinonychosauria)
                           IV. Utahraptor ostrommaysorum
                           V.  Euronychodon asiaticus (based on other  Deinonychosauria)
                           VI.  Euronychodon portucalensis (based on other  Deinonychosauria)
                           VII.  Ornithodesmus cluniculus ((based on other  Deinonychosauria)
                           VIII.  Dromaeosaurus cristatus (based on Dromaeosaurus albertensis)
                           IX.  Dromaeosaurus gracilis (based on Dromaeosaurus albertensis)
                          X.  Dromaeosaurus explanatus (based on Dromaeosaurus albertensis)
                          XI. Dromaeosaurus albertensis
                          XII.Achillobator giganticus (based on other  Deinonychosauria and descriptions)
                          XIII. Deinonychus antirrhopus
                          XIV. Variraptor mechinorum (based on other  Deinonychosauria)
                          XV. Sinornithosaurus millenii
                          XVI. Saurornitholestes langstoni
                          XVII. Velociraptor mongoliensis
                         XVIII.  Pyroraptor olympius (based on other  Deinonychosauria)

(Colbert & Russell, 1969 sensu Gauthier, 1986 emended Currie & Padian, 1997)

    The deinonychosaurs have been a successful and long-lived group of predators and have dominated most small carnivore niches in Laurasia during most of the Cretaceous period.  After evolving, perhaps in Asia, from predatory birds, these dinosaurs have quickly diversified into a number of forms without changing much from their archetype.  All deinonychosaurs are bipedal, with long necks and tails, long hands, rather short legs, and their distinctive weapons, hyperextendable talons on their inner toes.

    Although they vary in size, all known deinonychosaurs hunt in a similar fashion.  Unlike other predatory dinosaurs, which may grapple with prey, or pursue it for long distances, deinonychosaurs are adept stalkers, capable of short bursts of speed from some nearby hiding place, but unable to chase their meat for any distance.  To dispatch prey, deinonychosaurs make use of deadly talons, both manual and pedal, to rip or grab flesh, respectively.

    The deinonychosaurs, completely apart from the  popularity they have recently come to enjoy, are fascinating and beautiful predators.

Thanks to Mickey Mortimer, T. Mike Keesey, David Marjanovic, Nick Pharris, and Grant Harding for critiquing my painting.  Some of the criticisms cannot be dealt with until a new painting is made, but some have already been dealt with (there is no such thing as a deinonychosaurid" and deinonychosaur does not equal dromaeosaur).
Other websites pertinent to this article:

The Dinosauricon's Deinonychosauria cladogram

Toby White's Deinonychoauria description (first on page)

Dromaeosaurid anatomy by Thom Holtz

DinoData: Dromaeosauridae

© Daniel Bensen 2000
Back to OPUS: Dinosaur
This image modified by Adobe Photoshop.