RE: Deinonychus hunting techniques (was Re: Benton et al.'s Super tree & The ecology of the Cloverly formation)

["Williams, Tim" <TiJaWi@agron.iastate.edu>]

Rutger Jansma wrote:

> The same method was used in the possible aboreal Microraptor and was 
> retained in the more advanced genus Deinonychus. A feather covering 
> provided the lift to manouver and stabilized the animal before it 
> arrived at the back of the prey. [snip] But as you have said, the 
> hindlimb abilities of Deinonychus suggests also that the jump could 
> have been made from the ground. Still, the stabilisation
> holds for the arms. You can laugh if you want, 

Laugh?  I think it's a brilliant idea.  I've suggested a similar hypothesis
a while back.  It's also a very similar idea to the 'Pouncing Proavis'
hypothesis advanced by Garner et al. (1999).

> But...there's always a "but", how incredibly strong were the arms of 
> T.rex  and what was their limit of subduing or holding prey? Doubt they 
> could have held down a Anatotitan or Triceratops. 

Not 'hold down' so much as help to hold the prey in place.




Tim