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Watching the Jurassic park series, at some point we wonder whether these dinosaur creatures; tyrannosaurus, velociraptor, and deinonychus or raptors would exist in real life. Besides their existence, one thing that made us all curious was which of the velociraptor or dinosaurs would be superior to the one we watched in the series, especially Jurassic Park iii.
The Jurassic Park series had various dinosaurs; among them, the most renowned and remembered to this date are the velociraptor and deinonychus. In this article, we will be sharing everything about these creatures we have been watching since our childhood and what could be the significant differences between them according to paleontology and paleontologists.
So, without further ado, let’s dig into the topic!
Jurassic Park and Dinosaurs
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A brand-new kind of deadly dinosaurs were first introduced to moviegoers in the blockbuster movie Jurassic Park fifteen years ago. Predatory dinosaurs, including Velociraptor and the movies, were remembered together since the beginning.
Everyone at some point in their life was familiar with large carnivores like Allosaurus, Velociraptor, and Tyrannosaurus. However, few knew these swift-moving creatures were referred to as raptors.
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The Jurassic Park Velociraptor pack is a bipedal creature. With big, gripping hands, deadly feet, and a remarkable level of intellect, making them just as terrifying as the enormous Tyrannosaurus.
Paleontologists noticed something obviously off about the Velociraptor pack in the movie right away. The fossils were only waist-high when compared to an adult human. In fact, only one raptor was large enough to pass for the dinosaurs that stalked the humans inside the park’s command center in 1993, when the film version of Jurassic Park was released. And that was the Deinonychus.
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The Deinonychus dinosaur had this usual broad skull, stiffened tail, long arms, and giant sickle claw on each of the feet with feathers. These creatures knew how to tackle their foe and act as brave cretaceous predators.
What Are the Key Differences Between a Velociraptor and Deinonychus?
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Two of the common species of dinosaurs we come across during movies like Jurassic Park are Velociraptors and Deinonychus. While other animals might also be present there but these dinosaur species have intrigued the world every time.
Visual Difference
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Having a skull and body big nearly twice huge as tall as its Mongolian cousin, Deinonychus can be compared to a scaled-up version of the Velociraptor.
Massive sickle claws on each foot, long arms with gripping hands, and a rigid tail enabled the Deinonychus. These were discovered and described by Yale paleontologist John Ostrom in the 1960s, and he explained this appearance helped them to maintain balance as they rushed after prey.
Size and Pack Habits
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Differentiating between velociraptor and deinonychus is indeed a challenging task. However, their main difference lies in their sizes and pack habits.
Initially, Deinonychus was a dromaeosaurid theropod that hunted in packs or, most usually, with other creatures. They weighed around 161 lbs and were as tall as 3.5 ft.
Now, if we talk about Velociraptors, they were dromaeosaurid theropods that hunted all alone. Moreover, they used to weigh 50 lbs and used to stand as tall as 2.5 ft.
Size-wise the deinonychus had some advantage over others.
Movement and Defense
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Speed-wise, Velociraptor outpaced Deinonychus. as the name suggests, velociraptor indeed had some high-end velocity. A Velociraptor could move between 10 and 24 miles per hour. The legs of the Deinonychus were apparently for power rather than speed despite having a bigger body.
As a result, it is assumed that they walked at a speed of 6 mph, though short distance running at up to 20 mph is also possible. In terms of movement, Velociraptors are much faster compared to the deinonychus.
The medium-sized, Deinonychus, could frighten creatures away with its size and threatening posture. Velociraptors, however, had the speed and agility to stay safe when around larger animals. Comparing both of the dinosaur species in terms of defence is a bit complex.
Offensive Capabilities
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Regarding how they attacked, the dromaeosaurid theropods Deinonychus and Velociraptor were comparable. Their strength and size disparities, however, gave them special offensive abilities.
The Deinonychus would jump at its prey, striking with powerful kicks and claws that were 5-inches long with sickle-shaped claws. The Deinonychus would be able to pin their prey to the ground and kill them with strong bites, thanks to the ferocity of their attack and their weight.
After all, this specie may have had a bite as powerful as an alligator its size. Additionally, the Deinonychus would grasp its prey in its claws and inflict additional harm on them.
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Similar to other dinosaurs, the Velociraptor also used its feet to kill its prey most of the time. It kicked its victim while maintaining its balance with the aid of its long tail. Velociraptors could also hold prey in place while pursuing it using their “hands.” Then, using their serrated teeth, they would rip into their victim.
Predatory Behavior
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Although a carnivore, the Velociraptor did not hunt like the others depicted in movies, just like other predatory dinosaurs. Instead, it hunted its prey at night as a lone hunter. The dinosaur would charge after its prey, leap at it, collide with it, and kick it in the neck to rip its significant arteries.
On the other hand, paleontologists believe that Deinonychus was a lone predator who preyed on prey at beneficial times. Evidence suggests that even though Deinonychuses attacked in packs, they were still primarily drawn to the same victim.
Velociraptor vs Deinonychus: Final Decision
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Size is an essential factor in deciding who will win the velociraptor vs Deinonychus battle. However, the size factor might not be of concern, such as when a Velociraptor battles a Protoceratops. The two dinosaurs are remarkably similar in terms of how they attack and hunt.
Accordingly to paleontology as well as paleontologist, what happens when a larger, more powerful form of an animal engages the smaller one in battle? In this scenario, the larger Deinonychus would likely charge the Velociraptor, using its long limbs to deliver a deep, lethal claw strike that rips into the Velociraptor.
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Paleontologists all over the world have gathered a lot of fossils and natural history to depict how these huge feathered dinosaurs looked like. Still, paleontologists certainly cannot be discovered how good each of the species was at something.
What if we can’t have a deinonychus or velociraptor in real life? We can always get a baby velociraptor anytime, anywhere! If you have any questions let us know in the comment section!
