The dromaeosaurs are a group of non-avian dinosaurs well known for their sickle claws and great intelligence. They first evolved in the Middle Jurassic but didn't diversify until the Early Cretaceous. After the Tithonian-Berriasian glaciation, the dromaeosaurs became the dominant pack hunters in the northern hemisphere and made it to South America and Africa in the southern hemisphere with little trouble. In this alternate timeline, a few species of dromaeosaurs managed to survive the K-T mass extinction because the Tithonian-Berriasian glaciation gave them time to evolve and adapt to colder climates. The dromaeosaurs made a very quick recovery in the Paleocene and continued to flourish for the rest of the Cenozoic with little trouble. They made it to Australia by migrating from South America across Antarctica to Australia during the Eocene. They are now found on every continent except Antarctica.
Groups
Speeder Claws (Subfamily: Tachytitanae)
These small dromaeosaurs are very diverse throughout their taiga and tundra homes throughout Northern Eurasia and the Americas. Like their ancestors, speeder claws hunt in packs. Their main prey are large iguanodonts and therizinosaurs, though they'll also hunt ceratopsians, smaller ornithopods, lizards, mammals and even insects if food is scarce. Each speeder claw pack contains a dominant male, 4-12 females plus young and 3-5 younger males.
Species:
- Eurasian Speeder Claw (Canisaurus evrasias)
- North American Speeder Claw (Canisaurus septentrionali)
- South American Speeder Claw (Canisaurus australis)
Gigaraptornae
- Main article: Gigaraptornae (Dinosaurs of the Ice Age)
During the Pliocene, one group of African and European dromaeosaurs managed to evolve into gigantic sizes and they managed to outcompete the carnosaurs into extinction. They also replaced other African dromaeosaurs and became the dominant predators in Africa.
Hopper Raptors (Subfamily: Choaninae)
These dromaeosaurs are an ancient group of Australian theropods. They first evolved in South America during the Eocene as small scavengers in the shadows of the larger carnosaurs and abelisaurs. However, the managed to migrate though Antarctica to Australia where it was too cold for the larger carnosaurs and abelisaurs. After Australia broke off from Antarctica in the Late Eocene, the hopper raptors became the apex predators of the continent. Like speeder claws, they hunt in packs.
Species:
- Tasmanian Hopper Raptor (Parvaraptor tasmanianus)
- Outback Hopper Raptor (Choaniraptor deserto)
- Northern Hopper Raptor (Choaniraptor septentrionali)
- Savannah Hopper Raptor (Choaniraptor campus)
- Southern Hopper Raptor (Choaniraptor australis)
Tree Gliders (Subfamily: Anemopteronae)
This diverse group of small Microraptor-like dromaeosaurs are found throughout Indonesia, Australia, Tasmania and New Zealand. Tree gliders were much more diverse in the Late Cretaceous and Paleogene, but were outcompeted by birds in the Americas, Africa and most of Eurasia. They also died out in Antarctica during the Miocene due to the cooling climate. Today, there are only a few species left of tree glider.
Species:
- Sumatran Tree Glider (Labunturaptor sumatrus)
- Bornean Tree Glider (Labunturaptor borneus)
- Javan Tree Glider (Labunturaptor javanicus)
- Tasmanian Tree Glider (Dentroraptor tasmanianus)
- North Australian Tree Glider (Dentroraptor septentrionali)
- South Australian Tree Glider (Dentroraptor australis)
- New Zealand Tree Glider (Dentroraptor zealandia)
| Sauropsida | Archosauria | Theropoda | Abelisauroidea • Aves • Dromaeosauridae • Gigaraptornae (Dinosaurs of the Ice Age) • Ornithomimosauria • Therizinosauria • Tyrannosauroidea |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sauropoda | Titanosauria | ||
| Ornithischia | Ankylosauria • Ceratopsia • Ornithopoda | ||
| Pterosauria | Pterodactyloidea | ||
| Crocodylomorpha | |||
| Lepidosauromorpha | Plesiosauria • Squamata | ||
| Mammalia | Eutheria • Metatheria • Monotremata | ||