How these prehistoric animals compare
Velociraptor and Deinonychus were both dromaeosaurid theropods, but they came from different continents and different parts of the Cretaceous, and the film image of Velociraptor is closer to Deinonychus in size.
Relatives from different eras
Both belong to Dromaeosauridae, the group often called raptors. Velociraptor comes from Late Cretaceous Mongolia and nearby regions. Deinonychus comes from the Early Cretaceous of western North America, millions of years earlier.
Size and the popular picture
Real Velociraptor was a smaller animal than the one in popular films. Deinonychus was larger, and it is the animal that helped change how scientists thought about active, bird-like dinosaurs after its description in the 1960s. The popular raptor image blends features from several genera.
Feathers and the fossil evidence
Quill knobs on a Velociraptor forelimb bone have been interpreted as evidence for feathers, and related dromaeosaurids preserve feather impressions. For Deinonychus the evidence for plumage is inferred from its relatives. Always check whether a statement describes direct fossil evidence or an inference from relatives.
Sources and specimen context: Velociraptor references · Deinonychus references · Geological timeline
