Fun Deinodon Facts For Kids

Deinodon is a genus of dinosaurs that are known to have roamed earth during the late cretaceous era. Based on the fossil remains that have been found in the Judith River Formation in present-day Montana, it is assumed by several paleontologists that these animals were not a different species and that they could be a part of two other genera of the Tyrannosauridae family - Aublysodon and Gorgosaurus.

The two sexes of this possible genus have not yet been distinguished merely due to the lack of specimens, but interestingly, the fossilized teeth of the Deinodon horridus tell us that they were heterodont carnivores!

How do you pronounce 'Deinodon'?

The name of this genus would be pronounced as "day-noh-dawn".

What type of dinosaur was a Deinodon?

Deinodon horridus was a member of the Tyrannosauridae family of dinosaurs. This species is estimated to show no deviation from the set features that a tyrannosaurid dinosaur is expected to have.

In which geological period did the Deinodon roam the earth?

The geological period during which this tyrannosaurid dinosaur species is estimated to have tread earth is that of the late cretaceous period. If you happen to be wondering how long ago that was, you will be astonished to know that the late cretaceous period was around 100 - 66 million years ago!

When did the Deinodon become extinct?

While the exact timeline as to when this species may have become extinct is unknown to us, we know that the cretaceous ended in mass extinctions due to a meteor collision with earth.

Where did a Deinodon live?

While we hardly know what this planet looked like so far ago in history, it can be estimated that these dinosaurs would have loved to be around rich vegetation that the possible herbivorous prey would be feeding on! It is estimated and can be assumed freely that the habitat of these dinosaurs consisted of woodlands, grasslands, and forests.

What was a Deinodon's habitat?

Since the fossil remains of the Deinodon horridus have only been found in present-day North America - particularly in Montana, it can be assumed that they were residents of the area. To go into more specifics, the holotype specimen and some of the only specimens of the carnivorous genus Deinodon have been found at the Judith River Formation in Montana.

Who did a Deinodon live with?

Not much is known as to whether or not this new species of tyrannosaurids preferred to be in the company of other dinosaurs. At the same time, the fact they this genus was carnivorous tells us that they probably did not enjoy the company of more animals of the same or different species.

How long did a Deinodon live?

The average lifespan of a dinosaur of the Deinodon genus is not known to us due to the lack of enough collected specimens that can be studied. The longevity of the genus on earth during the cretaceous era is not known either, simply due to the dubious nature of the species.

How did they reproduce?

Dinosaurs such as those of the family Tyrannosauridae are known to have been oviparous, and hence, it is easily understood that the dinosaurs of the genus Deinodon and other related genera such as Aublysodon mirandus, Aublysodon lateralis, and Gorgosaurus libratus reproduced by laying eggs. The courting habits and nesting pattern of these large dinosaurs, however, is not made understandable through any of the collected specimens.

What did a Deinodon look like?

The estimation of the appearance of this genus is based on the few teeth specimens that have been found, and hence, can only be considered partially true until proven otherwise through a complete skeleton. These animals are known to have been heterodont, which means that they have different kinds of teeth - just like humans do!

The other features are typical of the family Tyrannosauridae and include short forelimbs, long and strong hind limbs, a long snout, and a very scary-looking gait!

How many bones did a Deinodon have?

The total number of bones that a typical dinosaur of the Deinodon horridus species would have is not known simply because the total number of specimens found are not only scarce but also only consist of parts of the heterodont tooth.

How did they communicate?

While paleontologists have been unable to find out the exact mode of communication used by this tyrannosaur, they are estimated to have been loud, based on the loud call that is associated with several other tyrannosaur dinosaurs. It is hardly a matter of surprise that these animals were probably extremely loud.

How big was a Deinodon?

The length of an average Deinodon is estimated to have been as large as 29.2 ft (89.9 m)! It is needless to say that these animals were very large, not only in comparison with other dinosaurs but also within the other genera in the same family.

How fast could a Deinodon move?

While the exact speed of a typical Deinodon horridus dinosaur is not known to us, it can be assumed based on the enormous size of the species that these animals wouldn't have been the fastest!

How much did a Deinodon weigh?

The average weight of the animals of the genus Deinodon has not been described yet, however, Albertosaurus, which is a related species and is only slightly smaller in size is estimated to have weighed around 2.8 short tons (2.5 tonnes)! This gives us a fair idea of how heavy the animals of this new genus may have been.

What were the male and female names of the species?

Since there are no distinguished names for the male and female Deinodon horridus (synonyms - Aublysodon mirandus, Gorgosaurus libratus), we have resorted to referring to them as the male Deinodon and the female Deinodon respectively.

It is also interesting to note that there is no evidence for the classification of or distinction between the two sexes.

What would you call a baby Deinodon?

Since dinosaurs are understood to have been oviparous, the baby Deinodon would be called a hatchling! We do understand that it might sound absurd to be calling such a large animal a hatchling, but nature is mysterious and diverse!

What did they eat?

The diet of the Deinodon genus is known to have been intensely carnivorous. This means that these individuals of the Dinosauria classification would feed on any small dinosaurs, birds, and mammals that would happen to be nearby in their natural habitat.

How aggressive were they?

It is likely that the Deinodon horridus (also described as Aublysodon lateralis and G. libratus) would have been an aggressive species of animals, just like the other genera within the family of tyrannosaurs. In nature, it is taken as a rule of thumb that carnivorous animals would be aggressive, and hence, we assume that Deinodon was not an exception to this rule, until proven otherwise.

Did you know...

Gorgosaurus libratus, Aublysodon lateralis, Aublysodon mirandus and Dryptosaurus kenabekides are assumed to be synonymous to Deinodon horridus, since the specimen remains (teeth) of the aforementioned species can hardly be distinguished from that of the genus Deinodon.

Deinodon horridus is estimated to have been even larger than an Albertasaurus.

It is assumed that the teeth that are now the foundation of the species Deinodon horridus belonged to a G. libratus, although the theory cannot be proven until they can be based on solid differences.

Was Deinodon endemic?

It is not known if Deinodon, as a genus of dinosaurs was endemic, however, it can be assumed so, since the remains (teeth) have only been discovered from one location - which is the Judith River Formation in present-day Montana.

How many species does Deinodon have?

 The four possible species of the genus Deinodon are Deinodon lateralis, Deinodon amplus, Deinodon horridus and Deinodon cristatus.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly dinosaur facts for everyone to discover!

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable Deinodon coloring pages.

Main image by Levi bernardo and second image by Kumiko.

*Please note that this is a Gorgosaurus, which is a related genus. If you have the illustration of a Deinodon, let us know at [email protected].