Deinonychus (D. antirrhopus, "Terrible Claw") is a genus of theropod dinosaur that lived in what is now North America during the Early Cretaceous through the Aptian and Albian periods, about 115-108 million years ago.
It was a medium-sized bipedal predator, with an estimated length of between 3 and 4 meters and a weight of around 70-100 kilograms.
Deinonychus is known for having a unique anatomy that made it a very effective predator. It possessed sharp, curved claws on its hind legs that allowed it to jump and climb trees, making it an extremely agile predator. Its brain was proportionally larger than that of other dinosaurs, suggesting a higher intelligence.
Deinonychus fed mainly on other dinosaurs, including small herbivores like Tenontosaurus. Its fossil remains have been found in several states in the United States, including Montana, Wyoming, and Oklahoma.
Deinonychus lived in a wooded and humid environment, surrounded by rivers and lakes and evidence has been found that Deinonychus inhabited social groups, which suggests that they hunted in packs to increase their chances of hunting success.
Since its discovery in the 1960s, Deinonychus has been the subject of numerous scientific studies and has been recognized as one of the most important dinosaurs for our understanding of theropod evolution and behavior.
Approximate measurements of the Deinonychus:
1:35 scale - 87 mm long
1:20 scale - 155 mm long
