In a dinosaur war between Deinonychus and Styracosaurus, its brains against brawn in this battle. Deinonychus was the North American relative of Velociraptor and just as smart. Styracosaurus had the strength and massive horns. Between Styracosaurus and Deinonychus, the battle comes down to power against speed.
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Battle Facts about Deinonychus & Styracosaurus
| Name | Deinonychus (Deinonychus antirrhopus) | Styracosaurus (Styracosaurus albertensis) |
| Size | 11 feet long, 3-4 feet tall | 16-18 feet long, 6-8 feet tall |
| Speed | 25 mph | 20 mph |
| Offense | Strong grasping feet to hold prey down | Horns on the front and back of the head traveled in herds |
| Defense | Sharp, blade-like teeth with a strong bite force | Frills and horns, strong head to push predators |
| Endurance and Behavior | Pack hunter that could perch in trees with owl-like claws | Always on the move in large herds |
Unless you’ve read Deinonychus vs. Styracosaurus: When Claws and Spikes Collide (Michael O’Hearn), you’ve probably never considered what a battle between Deinonychus and Styracosaurus would look like.
After all, these two dinos lived in different parts of the Cretaceous Period, so they would never have battled each other. But these two dynamic dinos would’ve had quite the dinosaur war if they had met!
How Big Was the Deinonychus vs. Styracosaurus?
The Deinonychus was about the size of a large pony, and Styracosaurus was closer to the size of a White Rhino.
As far as height and length go, they weren’t too far apart. But the weight is where Styracosaurus had a clear advantage. Styracosaurus weighed a starling 6,000 pounds versus Deinonychus’s 160 pounds.
Though Deinonychus isn’t nearly as popular as its close relative, the Velociraptor, you might be more familiar with Deinonychus than you realize. That’s because Jurassic Park’s Velociraptor was modeled after Deinonychus.
Michael Crichton thought Velociraptor sounded more fierce, even if the real Velociraptor was actually the size of a turkey.
What Was the Speed of the Deinonychus vs. Styracosaurus?
Deinonychus could run up to 25 mph compared to Styracosaurus’s 20 mph. That doesn’t seem like a huge difference, but in a battle between life and death, that extra 5 mph makes a huge difference. Styracosaurus’s size also slowed it down, making it impossible for the large herbivore to run 20 mph for very long.
Deinonychus had its disadvantage when it came to running. Because the shape of its foot curled like an owl’s foot, running long distances was harder.
The clutching feet gave Deinonychus the upper hand once it had ahold of its prey, but running after that prey was another story.
What Would Happen if the Deinonychus and Styracosaurus Met?
Deinonychus was more of a scavenger than a hunter, so not much would’ve happened if the two dinosaurs had met. A group of Deinonychus might go after a Styracosaurus in the hatchling to juvenile age range, but only if that young Styracosaurus got separated from the group.
Styracosaurus’s horns made smaller predators like Deinonychus think twice before attacking. Plus, Styracosaurus lived in herds with other herbivores like Triceratops and Ankylosaurus.
Even Tyrannosaurus Rex struggled against such a strong herd. Unlike the mighty T-rex, Deinonychus didn’t have the size or weight advantage.
If Deinonychus and Styracosaurus were to battle, their adaptations would make them both amazing fighters. It would be a hard battle to call between the Deinonychus’s speed and the Styracosaurus’s power.
As long as Styracosaurus stayed in their herds, the Deinonychus had almost no hope of defeating the large herbivore. But once Deinonychus got its clawed feet into an enemy, it was likely to win.