Prehistoric Assassins

Prehistoric Assassins is a two-part documentary series shown on the Discovery Channel back in 2010. The series mainly studies ancient creatures and discovers their prehistoric weapons are still found in their animal descendants today in the form of convergent evolution.

Blood In the Water

Episode one explores the earth's vast oceans which were home to some of the fiercest and strangest creatures to ever roam the planet.

• Cameroceras
• Dunkleosteus
• Elasmosaurus
• Gillicus
• Unspecified Jawless Fish
• Liopleurodon
• Megalograptus
• Unspecified Mosasaur (possibly Tylosaurus)
• Pteraspis
• Trilobite
• Xiphactinus

Claws and Jaws

Episode two explores the Earth's land, roaming the world to find ancestors of modern-day saber-toothed cats, alligators and raptors.

• Corythosaurus
• Daspletosaurus
• Deinonychus
• Diprotodon
• Hyaenodon
• Majungasaurus
• Megalania
• Poebrotherium
• Smilodon
• Rapetosaurus
• Tenontosaurus

Inaccuracies and Speculative Information

• The series' main animal subjects are often described as "assassins" and "killers" more than actual animals, focusing on their combat ability more than their lifestyle.
• Numerous animals were also shown much larger than what they would've been in real life.
• Megalograptus is stated to be the largest arthropod of all time, when really that title goes to the Jaekelopterus.
• The Deinonychus portrayed here were shown as pack-hunting animals using their sickle claws to cut into prey. Recent studies shown both of these statements to be incorrect, as it is more likely that Deinonychus was a solitary hunter with claws incapable of piercing into flesh. This was most likely due to a discovery of a Tenontosaurus fossil surrounded by several Deinonychus, though it was much more likely this was due to a predator trap.
• The arms of Majungasaurus were shown well-developed, if still very short. In real life, they were underdeveloped and absurdly stubby, lacking proper joints besides the shoulder.

Trivia

• Although most animal footage was created for the documentary, footage from When Dinosaurs Roamed America and Dinosaur Planet were also used.