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Submitted: December 25, 2011
Image Size: 705 KB
Resolution: 1280×925
Submitted with: Sta.sh

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Deinonychus Prey Restraintby *EWilloughby

Digital Art / Drawings / Animals

This is an illustration based on the new paper by Fowler et al, which discusses a likely possible method of predation by Deinonychus and other dromaeosaurs (the "raptor prey restraint" model, or RPR). This excellent publication is available free to download. It suggests that the unique foot morphology of dromaeosaurs was an adaptation to take prey in a very similar manner to extant birds of prey: by grasping with the foot claws, digging in with the hypertrophied "sickle" claw, and tightly hanging on to the prey animal as it struggles and thrashes around. The dromaeosaur would then begin to feed on it while it's still alive, until it finally dies from blood loss and organ failure, all the while standing on top of the animal to pin it down (a likely use of the unusually short ankles found in dromaeosaurs) and using primitive flight strokes with its "wings" to maintain balance.

The primary animal of study in the RPR paper is Deinonychus, so that's what I've drawn here. It is shown preying on the basal ornithopod Zephyrosaurus. Though Deinonychus is usually depicted in a dense floodplain environment, here I've reconstructed it amongst some higher-altitude arid North American mountains.

This is my version of a Christmas dinner.

love 1 1

joy 2 2

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~iherduleikdragonites May 5, 2013

When people say that feathered dinosaurs are not scary or that dinosaurs are immature, I show them this.

~TheOneTrueSirCharles Mar 1, 2013 Hobbyist General Artist

Wow amazing!
At first I didn't notice but its feather coloration and eye color look simular to my Deinonychus, except mine did not have the whitish color instead.
I based my raptor off my hair color.

*EWilloughby Mar 1, 2013

Thanks.

~TheOneTrueSirCharles Mar 1, 2013 Hobbyist General Artist

Your welcome.

~RajaHarimau98 Dec 5, 2012 Hobbyist Traditional Artist

You know I think the current view of raptors, as jumping from trees onto their prey, pinning them down with their claws, balancing using their wings, and tearing chunks of meat out from the prey is much cooler than the JP fanboy's raptor. *inb4debate*

Awesome work.

~TheOneTrueSirCharles Mar 1, 2013 Hobbyist General Artist

I agree!

~anatotitan Aug 2, 2012 Professional Interface Designer

Excellent depiction of Fowler's hypothesis. The relationship to extant raptors is very strong; I can almost feel how Deinonychus is moving. I like that you've placed the animal in a higher elevation habitat, too.