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Deinonychus, The Ultimate Killing Machine

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 July 2017

John H. Ostrom
John H. Ostrom*
Affiliation:
Yale University, Peabody Museum of Natural History, New Haven, Connecticut 06520
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Extract

Speculation about the behavior and life activities of any kind of extinct animal seems to be a waste of time. But people are curious, and they do it all the time. Their favorite subjects, of course are dinosaurs. You don't have to be an expert and it doesn't cost any money. Anybody can do it. Did Diplodocus swim? Or just soak in those Mesozoic lakes and streams? Did Tyrannosaurus chase its prey, or did it just scavenge on left-overs? Did Mononykus burrow in the ground to hide its head, or did it just scratch its arm pits? It is obvious that it didn't fly, but it must have run fast. You don't have to be a paleontologist, or an ethologist. In fact, it is probably an advantage not to be a scientist at all. (How come? Then you're free to let your imagination run wild. That sure would help Mononykus.) The only equipment you need is a powerful imagination, some common sense, and a certain amount of evidence. That evidence will be the clues, the tips that stimulate your imagination–in this case, how a long-dead animal that lived many millions of years ago behaved. Let me show you how that works.

Type
Adaptations and Behavior
Information
The Paleontological Society Special Publications , Volume 7: Dino Fest , 1994 , pp. 127 - 138
Copyright
Copyright © 1994 Paleontological Society 

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References

Maxwell, W. Desmond and Ostrom, John H., 1994, (in press). Taphonomy and paleobiological implications of Tenontosaurus - Deinonychus associations. Journ. Vert. Paleo., Vol. 14.Google Scholar
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