Velociraptor Fossil range: Late Cretaceous
Illustration of Velociraptor mongoliensis.
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Sauropsida Superorder: Dinosauria Order: Saurischia Suborder: Theropoda Family: Dromaeosauridae Genus: Velociraptor Osborn, 1924
Species
V. mongoliensis Osborn, 1924 (type) Geography of the US in the Late Cretaceous Period Late Cretaceous (100mya - 65mya) refers to the second half of the Cretaceous Period, named after the famous white chalk cliffs of southern England, which date from this time. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... For other uses, see Scientific classification (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Animal (disambiguation). ... Typical Classes See below Chordates (phylum Chordata) are a group of animals that includes the vertebrates, together with several closely related invertebrates. ... Reptilia redirects here. ... Orders & Suborders Saurischia Sauropodomorpha Theropoda Ornithischia Thyreophora Ornithopoda Marginocephalia Dinosaurs were vertebrate animals that dominated the terrestrial ecosystem for over 160 million years, first appearing approximately 230 million years ago. ... Groups Sauropodomorpha    Saturnalia    Prosauropoda    Sauropoda Theropoda    Eoraptor    Herrerasauridae    Ceratosauria    Tetanurae       Aves(extant) Saurischians (from the Greek Saurischia meaning lizard hip) are one of the two orders/branches of dinosaurs. ... Subdivisions ?Eoraptor Herrerasauria Coelophysoidea Ceratosauria Cryolophosaurus Spinosauridae Carnosauria Coelurosauria Theropods (beast foot) are a group of bipedal saurischian dinosaurs. ... Genera See text. ... Henry Fairfield Osborn (August 8, 1857 — November 6, 1935) was an American paleontologist and geologist. ... For other uses, see Species (disambiguation). ... In biology, a type is that which fixes a name to a taxon. ...

Velociraptor (IPA: /vɨˌlɒsɨˈræptɚ/; meaning 'swift thief') is a genus of dromaeosaurid theropod dinosaur that existed approximately 83 to 70 Ma (million years ago) during the later part of the Cretaceous Period. The type species, V. mongoliensis, is the only species recognized today, although others have been assigned in the past. Fossils of this species have been discovered in both Inner and Outer Mongolia in central Asia. For other uses, see Genus (disambiguation). ... Genera Achillobator Adasaurus Bambiraptor Cryptovolans Dromaeosaurus Deinonychus Gracilraptor Microraptor Pyroraptor Saurornitholestes Sinornithosaurus Utahraptor Variraptor Velociraptor Among the dinosaurs, the Dromaeosaurids or Dromaeosauridae (running lizards) were fast and agile dominant carnivores throughout the Cretaceous period. ... Subdivisions ?Eoraptor Herrerasauria Coelophysoidea Ceratosauria Cryolophosaurus Spinosauridae Carnosauria Coelurosauria Theropods (beast foot) are a group of bipedal saurischian dinosaurs. ... Orders & Suborders Saurischia Sauropodomorpha Theropoda Ornithischia Thyreophora Ornithopoda Marginocephalia Dinosaurs were vertebrate animals that dominated the terrestrial ecosystem for over 160 million years, first appearing approximately 230 million years ago. ... Mega-annum, usually abbreviated as Ma, is a unit of time equal to one million years. ... Mega-annum, usually abbreviated as Ma, is a unit of time equal to one million years. ... // The Cretaceous Period is one of the major divisions of the geologic timescale, reaching from the end of the Jurassic Period (i. ... A geologic period is a subdivision of geologic time that divides an era into smaller timeframes. ... A type species fixes the name of a genus (or of a taxon in a rank lower than genus). ... For other uses, see Species (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Fossil (disambiguation). ... Inner Mongolia (Mongolian: ᠥᠪᠦᠷ ᠮᠣᠨᠺᠤᠯᠤᠨ ᠥᠪᠡᠷᠲᠡᠺᠡᠨ ᠵᠠᠰᠠᠬᠤ ᠣᠷᠤᠨ r Mongghul-un bertegen Jasaqu Orun; Chinese: 内蒙古自治区; Hanyu Pinyin: N... For other uses, see Mongolia (disambiguation). ... Map of Central Asia showing three sets of possible boundaries for the region Central Asia located as a region of the world Central Asia is a vast landlocked region of Asia. ...

Smaller than other dromaeosaurids like Deinonychus and Achillobator, the turkey-sized Velociraptor nevertheless shared many of the same anatomical features. It was a bipedal, feathered carnivore with a long, stiffened tail and an enlarged sickle-shaped claw on each hindfoot, which is thought to have been used to kill its prey. Velociraptor can be distinguished from other dromaeosaurids by its long and low skull, with an upturned snout. Binomial name Deinonychus antirrhopus Ostrom, 1969 Deinonychus (IPA ) meaning terrible claw (Greek δεινος meaning terrible and ονυξ/ονυχος meaning claw) was a jaguar-sized, carnivorous dromaeosaurid dinosaur species from the Early Cretaceous Period. ... Binomial name Achillobator giganticus , Achillobator giganticus was a carnivorous dinosaur. ... Human heart and lungs, from an older edition of Grays Anatomy. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Two feathers Feathers are one of the epidermal growths that form the distinctive outer covering, or plumage, on birds. ... Carnivorism redirects here. ... Cat claw A claw is a curved pointed appendage, found at the end of a toe or finger or, in arthropods, of the tarsus. ... Predator and Prey redirect here. ... For other uses of Skull, see Skull (disambiguation). ...

Velociraptor (commonly shortened to 'raptor') is one of the dinosaur genera most familiar to the general public due to its prominent role in the Jurassic Park motion picture series, although in the films it was shown much larger than it was in reality and without feathers as well as having other anatomical inaccuracies. It is also well-known to paleontologists, with over a dozen recovered fossil skeletons — the most of any dromaeosaurid. One particularly famous specimen preserves a Velociraptor locked in combat with a Protoceratops. Jurassic Park is a 1993 science fiction film directed by Steven Spielberg, based on the novel of the same name by Michael Crichton. ... Paleontology, palaeontology or palæontology (from Greek: paleo, ancient; ontos, being; and λόγος, logos, knowledge) is the study of prehistoric life forms on Earth through the examination of plant and animal fossils. ... Protoceratops is a sheep-sized, herbivorous ceratopsian dinosaur from the Upper Cretaceous of Mongolia. ...

Description

Velociraptor compared in size to a human.

Velociraptor was small for a dromaeosaurid, with adults measuring up to 2.07 meters (6.7 ft) long, 0.5 meters (1.6 ft) high at the hip, and weighing 15 kilograms (33 lb).^[1] The skull, which grew up to 250 millimeters (10 in) long, was uniquely up-curved, concave on the upper surface and convex on the lower. The jaws were lined with 26–28 widely-spaced teeth on each side, each more strongly serrated on the back edge than the front — possibly an adaptation that improved its ability to catch and hold fast-moving prey.^[2][3] Image File history File links Vraptor-scale. ... Image File history File links Vraptor-scale. ... The metre, or meter (symbol: m) is the SI base unit of length. ... A foot (plural: feet or foot;[1] symbol or abbreviation: ft or, sometimes, ′ – a prime) is a unit of length, in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... “Kg” redirects here. ... The pound or pound-mass (abbreviations: lb, lbm, or sometimes in the United States, #) is a unit of mass (sometimes called weight in everyday parlance) in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... A millimetre (American spelling: millimeter), symbol mm is an SI unit of length that is equal to one thousandth of a metre. ... An inch (plural: inches; symbol or abbreviation: in or, sometimes, ″ - a double prime) is the name of a unit of length in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ...

Velociraptor, like other dromaeosaurids, had a large manus ('hand') with three strongly-curved claws, which were similar in construction and flexibility to the wing bones of modern birds. The second digit was the longest of the three digits present, while the first was shortest. The structure of the carpal (wrist) bones prevented pronation of the wrist and forced the 'hands' to be held with the palmar surface facing inwards (medially), not downwards.^[4] The first digit of the foot, as in other theropods, was a small dewclaw. However, whereas most theropods had feet with three digits contacting the ground, dromaeosaurids like Velociraptor walked on only their third and fourth digits. The second digit, for which Velociraptor is most famous, was highly modified and held retracted off of the ground. It bore a relatively large, sickle-shaped claw, typical of dromaeosaurid and troodontid dinosaurs. This enlarged claw, which could be over 65 millimeters (2.5 in) long around its outer edge, was most likely a predatory device used to tear into prey, possibly delivering a fatal blow.^[5][6] The manus (Latin for hand) is the zoological term for the distal portion of the fore limb of an animal. ... For other uses, see Bird (disambiguation). ... In human anatomy, the carpal bones are the bones of the human wrist. ... In human and zoological anatomy (sometimes called zootomy), several terms are used to describe the location of organs and other structures in the body of bilateral animals. ... In zootomy, several terms are used to describe the location of organs and other structures in the body of bilateral animals. ... In sciences dealing with the anatomy of animals, precise anatomical terms of location are necessary for a variety of reasons. ... The dogs front dewclaw grows on the side of the foot, above the other four toes but below the rear heelpad. ... Genera See text. ...

Long bony projections (prezygapophyses) on the upper surfaces of the vertebrae, as well as ossified tendons underneath, stiffened the tail of Velociraptor. The prezygapophyses began on the tenth tail (caudal) vertebra and extended forward to brace four to ten additional vertebrae, depending on position in the tail. The stiffening forced the entire tail to act as a single rod-like unit, preventing vertical motion between vertebrae. However, at least one specimen preserves a series of intact tail vertebrae curved sideways into an S-shape, suggesting that there was considerably more horizontal flexibility. These adaptations of the tail probably provided balance and stability while turning, especially at high speeds.^[5][6] A diagram of a thoracic vertebra. ... Ossification is the process of bone formation, in which connective tissues, such as cartilage are turned to bone or bone-like tissue. ... A tendon (or sinew) is a tough band of fibrous connective tissue that connects muscle to bone and is built to withstand tension. ...

In 2007, paleontologists Alan Turner, Peter Makovicky, Mark Norell and colleagues reported the discovery of quill knobs on a well-preserved Velociraptor mongoliensis forearm from Mongolia, confirming the presence of feathers in this species.^[7]

History

A drawing of the type skull of Velociraptor mongoliensis. From Osborn, 1924.

An American Museum of Natural History expedition to the Outer Mongolian Gobi Desert in 1922 recovered the first Velociraptor fossil known to science: a crushed but complete skull, associated with one of the raptorial second toe claws (AMNH 6515). In 1924, museum president Henry Fairfield Osborn designated the skull and claw (which he assumed to come from the hand) as the type specimen of his new genus, Velociraptor. This name is derived from the Latin words velox ('swift') and raptor ('robber' or 'plunderer') and refers to the animal's cursorial nature and carnivorous diet. Osborn named the type species V. mongoliensis after its country of origin.^[2] Earlier that year, Osborn had mentioned the animal in a popular press article, under the name "Ovoraptor djadochtari" (not to be confused with the similarly named Oviraptor).^[8] However, because the name "Ovoraptor" was not published in a scientific journal or accompanied by a formal description, it is considered a nomen nudum ('naked name'), and the name Velociraptor retains priority. Image File history File links Velociraptor_mongoliensis_type_skull_and_jaws. ... Image File history File links Velociraptor_mongoliensis_type_skull_and_jaws. ... A holotype is one of several possible types. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The Gobi Desert lies in the territory of the Peoples Republic of China and the Country of Mongolia. ... The American Museum of Natural History is a landmark of Manhattans Upper West Side in New York, at 79th Street and Central Park West. ... Henry Fairfield Osborn (August 8, 1857 — November 6, 1935) was an American paleontologist and geologist. ... Type specimens When a new species is discovered, more important than creating a new and unique name for the species is developing a reasonably detailed description. ... For other uses, see Latin (disambiguation). ... The cursorial theory of the evolution of flight is the theory that avian dinosaurs evolved from ground-living theropods, as opposed to arborial species. ... Binomial name Oviraptor philoceratops Osborn, 1924 Paleo Template Project Oviraptor was a small Mongolian theropod dinosaur, first discovered by legendary paleontologist Roy Chapman Andrews, and first described by Henry Fairfield Osborn in 1924. ... This page is a candidate for speedy deletion, because: it is patent nonsense. ...

While North American teams were shut out of communist Mongolia during the Cold War, expeditions by Soviet and Polish scientists, in collaboration with Mongolian colleagues, recovered several more specimens of Velociraptor. The most famous is part of the legendary "Fighting Dinosaurs" specimen (GIN 100/25), discovered by a Polish-Mongolian team in 1971. This fossil preserves a single Velociraptor in the midst of battle against a lone Protoceratops.^[5][9][10] This specimen is considered a national treasure of Mongolia, although in 2000 it was loaned to the American Museum of Natural History in New York City for a temporary exhibition.^[11] This article is about communism as a form of society and as a political movement. ... For other uses, see Cold War (disambiguation). ... CCCP redirects here. ... The Mongolian Academy of Sciences is Mongolias first centre of modern sciences. ... New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ...

Between 1988 and 1990, a joint Chinese-Canadian team discovered Velociraptor remains in northern China.^[12] American scientists returned to Mongolia in 1990, and a joint Mongolian-American expedition to the Gobi, led by the American Museum of Natural History and the Mongolian Academy of Sciences, turned up several well-preserved skeletons.^[6][13] The Mongolian Academy of Sciences is Mongolias first centre of modern sciences. ...

Provenance

All known specimens of Velociraptor mongoliensis were discovered in the Djadochta Formation, in both the Mongolian province of Ömnögovi and Chinese Inner Mongolia. A species of Velociraptor, possibly V. mongoliensis, is also preserved in the slightly younger Barun Goyot Formation of Mongolia.^[14] These geologic formations are estimated to date back to the Campanian stage (about 83 to 70 million years ago^[15]) of the Late Cretaceous Epoch.^[16] The Djadochta Formation (also sometimes written Djadokhta) is situated in central Asia and dates from the Late Cretaceous Period. ... ÖmnögovÄ­ aymag (Өмнөговь аймаг) is one of the 21 provinces of Mongolia. ... The Barun Goyot Formation is located within and is widely represented in the Gobi Desert basin of Mongolia. ... A geologic formation is a formally named rock stratum or geological unit. ... The Campanian is a stage on the geologic time scale occuring from 83. ... Faunal stages are a subdivision of geologic time used primarily by paleontologists who study fossils rather than by geologists who study rock formations. ... Geography of the US in the Late Cretaceous Period Late Cretaceous (100mya - 65mya) refers to the second half of the Cretaceous Period, named after the famous white chalk cliffs of southern England, which date from this time. ... A division of geologic time less than a period and greater than an age. ...

V. mongoliensis has been found at many of the most famous and prolific Djadochta localities. The type specimen was discovered at the Flaming Cliffs site (also known as Bayn Dzak and Shabarakh Usu),^[2] while the "Fighting Dinosaurs" were found at the Tugrig locality (also known as Tugrugeen Shireh).^[10] More recently, fossils of V. mongoliensis were recovered from Bayan Mandahu, a prolific site from the Djadochta of Inner Mongolia in China.^[12] The well-known Barun Goyot localities of Khulsan and Khermeen Tsav have also produced remains which may belong to the genus Velociraptor.^[17] The Flaming Cliffs site is a region of the Gobi Desert in Mongolia, in which important fossil finds have been made. ...

All of these sites preserve an arid environment with fields of sand dunes and only intermittent streams, although the younger Barun Goyot environment seems to have been slightly wetter than the older Djadochta.^[16] Aside from Protoceratops, upon which it preyed, Velociraptor shared its environment with other basal ceratopsians like Udanoceratops and ankylosaurids like Pinacosaurus, along with several species of oviraptorid, troodontid, and alvarezsaurid theropods.^[14] This article is about sand formations. ... Butchers Creek, Omeo, Victoria A stream, brook, beck, burn or creek, is a body of water with a detectable current, confined within a bed and banks. ... In phylogenetics, basal members of a group diverged earlier than a subgroup of others (or vice versa). ... The Ceratopsia are a group of omnivorous and herbivorous, beaked dinosaurs which thrived in North America and Asia during the Cretaceous. ... Udanoceratops (Udan horn face) was a ceratopsian dinosaur from Late Cretaceous Mongolia. ... Ankylosauridae were a family of armored dinosaurs that evolved 125 million years ago (along with another family of ankylosaurs, the Nodosauridae) and died 65 million years ago at the Cretaceous-Tertiary Extinction Event. ... Species (type) Godefroit et al. ... Genera Oviraptoridae is a group of Maniraptoran dinosaurs which lived in the Late Cretaceous period. ... Genera See text. ... Genera Alvarezsaurus ?Heptasteornis Mononykus Parvicursor Patagonykus Shuvuuia Alvarezsauridae is an enigmatic family of small, long-legged running dinosaurs, which are usually classified as primitive birds. ...

Taxonomy

Velociraptor is a member of the subfamily Velociraptorinae, a derived sub-group of the larger family Dromaeosauridae. In phylogenetic taxonomy, Velociraptorinae is usually defined as "all dromaeosaurs more closely related to Velociraptor than to Dromaeosaurus." Dromaeosaurid classification is highly variable. Originally, the subfamily Velociraptorinae was erected solely to contain Velociraptor.^[5] Other analyses have included other genera, usually Deinonychus and Saurornitholestes.^[18] A recent cladistic analysis indicated a monophyletic Velociraptorinae containing Velociraptor, Deinonychus, Tsaagan, and a closely related (but uncertainly positioned) Saurornitholestes.^[19] Genera Achillobator Adasaurus Atrociraptor Bambiraptor Buitreraptor Cryptovolans Deinonychus Dromaeosaurus Dromaeosauroides Graciliraptor Microraptor Neuquenraptor Pyroraptor Rahonavis Saurornitholestes Sinornithosaurus Shanag Tsaagan Unenlagia Utahraptor Variraptor Velociraptor Dromaeosaurids, raptors or members of the family Dromaeosauridae (running lizards from Greek dromeus (δρομευς) meaning runner and sauros (σαυρος) meaning lizard) are a family of theropod dinosaurs. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... In biology, phylogenetics (Greek: phylon = tribe, race and genetikos = relative to birth, from genesis = birth) is the study of evolutionary relatedness among various groups of organisms (e. ... Species (type species) Dromaeosaurus (drom-ee-oh-SAWR-us) meaning running lizard (Greek dromaios = swift-runner + sauros = lizard) is a wolf-sized theropod dinosaur genus from the Upper Cretaceous (Upper Campanian) of Alberta, Canada. ... Saurornitholestes langstoni is a coyote-sized carnivorous dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous of North America. ... Greek clados = branch) or phylogenetic systematics is a branch of biology that determines the evolutionary relationships of living things based on derived similarities. ... In phylogenetics, a group is monophyletic (Greek: of one stem) if all organisms in that group are known to have developed from a common ancestral form, and all descendants of that form are included in the group. ...

In the past, other dromaeosaurid species, including Deinonychus antirrhopus and Saurornitholestes langstoni, have sometimes been classified in the genus Velociraptor. Since Velociraptor was the first to be named, these species were renamed Velociraptor antirrhopus and V. langstoni.^[1] However, the only currently recognized species of Velociraptor is V. mongoliensis.^[3][4][20]

When first described in 1924, Velociraptor was placed in the family Megalosauridae, as was the case with most carnivorous dinosaurs at the time (Megalosauridae, like Megalosaurus, functioned as a sort of 'wastebin' taxon, where many unrelated species were grouped together).^[2] As dinosaur discoveries multiplied, Velociraptor was later recognized as a dromaeosaurid. All dromaeosaurids have also been referred to the family Archaeopterygidae by at least one author (which would, in effect, make Velociraptor a flightless bird).^[4] Megalosaurids were a family of tetanuran theropod dinosaurs, order Saurischia. ... Species Mantell, 1827 (type) Waldmann, 1974  ? (Newton, 1899) = Zanclodon cambrensis Megalosaurus (meaning Great Lizard, from Greek, μεγαλο-/megalo- meaning big, tall or great and σαυρος/sauros meaning lizard) is a genus of large meat-eating theropod dinosaurs of the Middle Jurassic Period (Bathonian) of Europe (Southern England, France, Portugal). ... Binomial name Archaeopteryx lithographica Meyer, 1861 Synonyms see text Archaeopteryx (pronounced ) meaning ancient feather (Greek archaio = ancient + pteryx = variously translated as wing, feather, or more specifically pinion (wing feather), from the Late Jurassic of Germany, is the earliest and most primitive known bird. ...

Paleobiology

Predatory behavior

The "Fighting Dinosaurs" specimen, found in 1971, preserves a Velociraptor and Protoceratops in combat and provides direct evidence of predatory behavior. When originally reported, it was hypothesized that the two animals drowned.^[10] However, as the animals were preserved in ancient sand dune deposits, it is now thought that the animals were buried in sand, either from a collapsing dune or in a sandstorm. Burial must have been extremely fast, judging from the lifelike poses in which the animals were preserved. Both forelimbs and one hindlimb of the Protoceratops are missing, which has been seen as evidence of scavenging by other animals.^[21] Protoceratops is a sheep-sized, herbivorous ceratopsian dinosaur from the Upper Cretaceous of Mongolia. ... “Sandstorm” redirects here. ... For a person who scavenges, see Waste picker. ...

The distinctive claw, on the second digit of dromaeosaurids, has traditionally been depicted as a slashing weapon; its assumed use being to cut and disembowel prey.^[22] In the "Fighting Dinosaurs" specimen, the Velociraptor lies underneath, with one of its sickle claws apparently embedded in the throat of its prey, while the beak of Protoceratops is clamped down upon the right forelimb of its attacker. This suggests Velociraptor may have used its sickle claw to pierce vital organs of the throat, such as the jugular vein, carotid artery, or trachea (windpipe), rather than slashing the abdomen. The inside edge of the claw was rounded and not at all sharp, which may have precluded any sort of cutting or slashing action, although only the bony core of the claw is known. A living Velociraptor would have had a keratin sheath around its claws, which may have had a sharper edge. However, it is unlikely that any sharp edge could be maintained, as the claw was not retractable for its protection, nor could it easily be sharpened by scraping against other objects, as seen in cats. The thick abdominal wall of skin and muscle would have been difficult to slash with such a dull cutting surface.^[21] The slashing hypothesis was tested during a 2005 BBC documentary, The Truth About Killer Dinosaurs. The producers of the program created an artificial Velociraptor leg with a sickle claw and used a pork belly to simulate the dinosaur's prey. Though the sickle claw did penetrate the abdominal wall, it was unable to tear it open, indicating that the claw was not used to disembowel prey. However, this experiment has not been published or repeated by other scientists, so its results cannot be confirmed. Disembowelment is evisceration, or the removing of vital organs, usually from the abdomen. ... The jugular veins are veins that bring deoxygenated blood from the head back to the heart via the superior vena cava. ... In human anatomy, the carotid artery is a major artery of the head and neck. ... The trachea, or windpipe, is a tube that has an inner diameter of about 12mm and a length of about 10-16cm. ... Not to be confused with kerogen or carotene. ... Binomial name Felis catus Linnaeus, 1758 Synonyms Felis lybica invalid junior synonym The cat (or domestic cat, house cat) is a small carnivorous mammal. ... Beyond overall skin structure, refer below to: See-also. ... A top-down view of skeletal muscle Muscle (from Latin musculus little mouse [1]) is contractile tissue of the body and is derived from the mesodermal layer of embryonic germ cells. ... Look up Hypothesis in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... For other uses, see BBC (disambiguation). ... The Truth About Killer Dinosaurs is a two-part BBC documentary, presented by Bill Oddie, in which a group of scientists test out the strength of dinosaur weaponry using biomechanics. ... Pork bellies are the underside of the hog, from which bacon is made. ...

Remains of Deinonychus, a closely related dromaeosaurid, have commonly been found in aggregations of several individuals. Deinonychus is also occasionally found in association with a larger herbivore, Tenontosaurus, which has been seen as evidence of cooperative hunting.^[23][24] Although many isolated fossils of Velociraptor and other dromaeosaurids have been found in Mongolia, none were closely associated with any other individuals.^[20] Therefore, while Velociraptor is commonly depicted as a pack hunter, as in Jurassic Park, no fossil evidence currently supports this theory. Binomial name Deinonychus antirrhopus Ostrom, 1969 Deinonychus (IPA ) meaning terrible claw (Greek δεινος meaning terrible and ονυξ/ονυχος meaning claw) was a jaguar-sized, carnivorous dromaeosaurid dinosaur species from the Early Cretaceous Period. ... Tenontosaurus was an Iguanodont from Early Cretaceous North America. ... A pack-hunter is a predator belonging to the animal kingdom, which has evolved to hunt its prey by working together with other members of its species. ...

Metabolism

Velociraptor was probably warm-blooded to some degree, as it required a significant amount of energy to hunt. Modern animals that possess feathery or furry coats, like Velociraptor did, tend to be warm-blooded, since these coverings function as insulation. However, bone growth rates in dromaeosaurids and some early birds suggest a more moderate metabolism, compared with most modern warm-blooded mammals and birds. The kiwi is similar to dromaeosaurids in anatomy, feather type, bone structure and even the narrow anatomy of the nasal passages (usually a key indicator of metabolism). The kiwi is a highly active, if specialized, flightless bird, with a stable body temperature and a fairly low resting metabolic rate, making it a good model for the metabolism of primitive birds and dromaeosaurids.^[4] A warm-blooded (homeothermic) animal is one that can keep its core body temperature at a nearly constant level regardless of the temperature of the surrounding environment (that is, to maintain thermal homeostasis) . This can involve not only the ability to generate heat, but also the ability to cool down... Structure of the coenzyme adenosine triphosphate, a central intermediate in energy metabolism. ... Species See text. ...

Feathers

Life restoration of Velociraptor mongoliensis.

Fossils of dromaeosaurids more primitive than Velociraptor are known to have had feathers covering their bodies, and fully-developed, feathered wings.^[25] The fact that the ancestors of Velociraptor were feathered and possibly capable of flight long suggested to paleontologists that Velociraptor bore feathers as well, since even flightless birds today retain most of their feathers. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1000x792, 351 KB) Summary Graphite drawing of by Matt Martyniuk. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1000x792, 351 KB) Summary Graphite drawing of by Matt Martyniuk. ... Two feathers Feathers are one of the epidermal growths that form the distinctive outer covering, or plumage, on birds. ...

In September 2007, researchers found evidence of quill knobs on the forearm of a Velociraptor found in Mongolia.^[7] These bumps on bird wing bones show where feathers anchor, and their presence on Velociraptor indicate that it too had feathers. According to paleontologist Alan Turner, "Finding quill knobs on Velociraptor ... means that it definitely had feathers. This is something we'd long suspected, but no one had been able to prove."^[26] According to Turner and co-authors Peter Makovicky and Mark Norell, quill knobs are not found in all prehistoric birds, and their absence does not mean that an animal was not feathered. However, their presence confirms that Velociraptor bore modern-style wing feathers, with a rachis and vane formed by barbs. The forearm specimen on which the quill knobs were found (specimen number IGM 100/981) represents an animal 1.5 meters in length (5 ft) and 15 kilograms (33 lbs) in weight. Based on the spacing of the six preserved knobs in this specimen, the authors suggested that Velociraptor bore 14 secondaries (wing feathers stemming from the forearm), compared with 12 or more in Archaeopteryx, 18 in Microraptor, and 10 in Rahonavis. This type of variation in the number of wing feathers between closely related species, the authors asserted, is to be expected, given similar variation among modern birds. Species A. lithographica Meyer, 1861 (type) Synonyms See below Archaeopteryx (from Ancient Greek archaios meaning ancient and pteryx meaning feather or wing; pronounced Ar-kay-op-ter-iks ) is the earliest and most primitive known bird to date. ... Species (type) Xu et al, 2003 Microraptor (small thief) is a genus of small, dromaeosaurid dinosaur known from well-preserved fossil remains recovered from Liaoning, China, and dating from the early Cretaceous Period (Barremian stage), 130-125. ... Rahonavis, from the Late Cretaceous of Madagascar, is the subject of some controversy as to its proper taxonomic position--whether it is a member of the crown clade Aves or a closely related dromaeosaur. ...

Turner and colleagues interpreted the presence of feathers on Velociraptor as evidence against the idea that the larger, flightless maniraptorans lost their feathers secondarily due to larger body size. Furthermore, they noted that quill knobs are almost never found in flightless bird species today, and that their presence in Velociraptor (presumed to have been flightless due to its relatively large size and short forelimbs) is evidence that the ancestors of dromaeosaurids could fly, making Velociraptor and other large members of this family secondarily flightless, though it is possible the large wing feathers inferred in the ancestors of Velociraptor had a purpose other than flight. The feathers of the flightless Velociraptor may have been used for display, for covering their nests while brooding, or for added speed and thrust when running up inclined slopes.^[7]

In popular culture

See also: Biological issues in Jurassic Park#Velociraptor

Velociraptor as portrayed in the movie Jurassic Park. Note large size and incorrect hand posture.

Velociraptor is well-known from its role as a vicious and cunning killer in the 1990 novel Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton and its 1993 film adaptation, directed by Steven Spielberg. The "raptors" portrayed in Jurassic Park were modeled after a larger relative, Deinonychus, which Gregory Paul at the time called Velociraptor antirrhopus.^[1] The paleontologists in the film and the novel excavate a so-called Velociraptor skeleton in Montana, far from the central Asian range of Velociraptor but well within the range of Deinonychus. A character in Crichton's novel also states that "...Deinonychus is now considered one of the velociraptors", indicating that Crichton used Paul's taxonomy, though the "raptors" in the novel are referred to as V. mongoliensis.^[27] Jurassic Park, a book by Michael Crichton, with a film version directed by Steven Spielberg, revolves around the resurrection of dinosaurs via genetic engineering. ... Image File history File links JPvelociraptor. ... Image File history File links JPvelociraptor. ... Jurassic Park is a 1993 science fiction film directed by Steven Spielberg, based on the novel of the same name by Michael Crichton. ... Jurassic Park is a techno-thriller novel written by Michael Crichton that was published in 1990. ... Michael Crichton, pronounced [1], (born October 23, 1942) is an American author, film producer, film director, and television producer. ... Jurassic Park is a 1993 science fiction film directed by Steven Spielberg, based on the novel of the same name by Michael Crichton. ... Steven Spielberg (born December 18, 1946)[1] is an American film director and producer. ... Binomial name Deinonychus antirrhopus Ostrom, 1969 Deinonychus (IPA ) meaning terrible claw (Greek δεινος meaning terrible and ονυξ/ονυχος meaning claw) was a jaguar-sized, carnivorous dromaeosaurid dinosaur species from the Early Cretaceous Period. ... Gregory S. Paul (born 1954) is a freelance paleontologist, author and illustrator. ... Official language(s) English Capital Helena Largest city Billings Area  Ranked 4th  - Total 147,165 sq mi (381,156 km²)  - Width 255 miles (410 km)  - Length 630 miles (1,015 km)  - % water 1  - Latitude 44°26N to 49°N  - Longitude 104°2W to 116°2W Population  Ranked... For the science of classifying living things, see alpha taxonomy. ...

Director Steven Spielberg may also have increased the size of the film's Velociraptor for dramatic reasons.^[28] Additionally, the forelimbs of the film animals differed in structure and posture from those of real dromaeosaurids and their tails were too short and flexible, anatomical errors which directly contradict fossil evidence. The film version of Velociraptor was also covered in scales. In life, Velociraptor, like many other maniraptoran theropods, was covered in feathers. In Jurassic Park III, the Velociraptor are depicted with quill-like structures along the back of the head and neck, although these do not resemble the down-like feathers known from real-life dromaeosaurids, and the quill knobs on some Velociraptor specimens show that they had fully-developed feathers akin to those of modern birds.^[7] Also in Jurassic Park III, Dr. Alan Grant, played by Sam Neill, states that Velociraptor were smarter than dolphins, whales and some primates. Based on fossil evidence, this is highly unlikely. It is more probable that, while intelligent by dinosaur standards, they were less intelligent than modern big cats.^[29] In this SEM image of a butterfly wing the scales are clearly visible, and the tiny platelets on each individual scale are just barely visible in the striping. ... Jurassic Park III is a 2001 film that is the third film as part of the Jurassic Park franchise. ... Alan Grant is a fictional character from the Jurassic Park series. ... Sam Neill (born Nigel John Dermot Neill), DCNZM, OBE (born 14 September 1947) is a New Zealand-Australian film and television actor, and owner of the Two Paddocks winery in Central Otago. ... Big cat refers to the medium-to-large wild felids of The Americas, Africa, Asia, and Europe. ...

Due to the success of most Jurassic Park-related products, Velociraptor has become a ubiquitous representation of dinosaurs in popular culture. It has been featured in numerous toy lines, animated films, video games and television series for children, along with several recent television documentaries. In 1995, the city of Toronto was awarded a National Basketball Association expansion team, which was named the Toronto Raptors. A teddy bear A toy is an object used in play. ... Animation refers to the process in which each frame of a film or movie is produced individually, whether generated as a computer graphic, or by photographing a drawn image, or by repeatedly making small changes to a model (see claymation and stop motion), and then photographing the result. ... . ... Documentary film is a broad category of visual expression that is based on the attempt, in one fashion or another, to document reality. ... NBA redirects here. ... An expansion team is a term used for a brand new team in a sports league. ... The Toronto Raptors are a professional basketball team based in Toronto, Ontario. ...

References

Gregory S. Paul (born 1954) is a freelance paleontologist, author and illustrator. ... Henry Fairfield Osborn (August 8, 1857 — November 6, 1935) was an American paleontologist and geologist. ... Rinchen Barsbold is a Mongolian paleontologist and geologist. ... Gregory S. Paul (born 1954) is a freelance paleontologist, author and illustrator. ... Rinchen Barsbold is a Mongolian paleontologist and geologist. ... Henry Fairfield Osborn (August 8, 1857 — November 6, 1935) was an American paleontologist and geologist. ... Rinchen Barsbold is a Mongolian paleontologist and geologist. ... Rinchen Barsbold is a Mongolian paleontologist and geologist. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 164th day of the year (165th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Phil Currie, born in Toronto, formerly the head of Dinosaur Research at the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology in Drumheller, Alberta, is now a researcher and prominent palaeontologist at the University of Alberta in Edmonton. ... Professor David B. Weishampel (born November 16, 1952) is a American palaeontologist in the Department of cell biology and anatomy at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. ... Dr. Rodolfo Coria is an Argentine paleontologist and current director of the Museo Carmen Funes in Plaza Huincul, Neuquén Province, Argentina. ... Xu Xing, of the Chinese Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology(IVPP) in Beijing, is a famed Chinese paleontologist who has named many dinosaurs, including the new Jurassic Ceratopsian Yinlong and feathered relative of Tyrannosaurus, Guanlong. ... Zhao Xijin is a Chinese paleontologist. ... Professor David B. Weishampel (born November 16, 1952) is a American palaeontologist in the Department of cell biology and anatomy at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. ... Peter Dodson is an American paleontologist who has published many papers and written and collaborated on books about dinosaurs. ... Dale A. Russell is a geologist/palaeontologist, currently Research Professor at The Department of Marine Earth and Atmospheric Sciences (MEAS) of North Carolina State University. ... A digital object identifier (or DOI) is a standard for persistently identifying a piece of intellectual property on a digital network and associating it with related data, the metadata, in a structured extensible way. ... Phil Currie, born in Toronto, formerly the head of Dinosaur Research at the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology in Drumheller, Alberta, is now a researcher and prominent palaeontologist at the University of Alberta in Edmonton. ... Rinchen Barsbold is a Mongolian paleontologist and geologist. ... Professor David B. Weishampel (born November 16, 1952) is a American palaeontologist in the Department of cell biology and anatomy at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. ... Peter Dodson is an American paleontologist who has published many papers and written and collaborated on books about dinosaurs. ... Kenneth Carpenter is a Paleontologist at the Denver Museum of Natural History and author or co-author of a number of books on dinosaurs and Mesozoic life. ... John Ostrom John H. Ostrom (February 18, 1928 – July 16, 2005) was an American paleontologist who revolutionized modern understanding of dinosaurs in the 1960s, when he demonstrated that dinosaurs are more like big non-flying birds than they are like lizards (or saurians), an idea first proposed by Thomas Henry... John Ostrom John H. Ostrom (February 18, 1928 – July 16, 2005) was an American paleontologist who revolutionized modern understanding of dinosaurs in the 1960s, when he demonstrated that dinosaurs are more like big non-flying birds than they are like lizards (or saurians), an idea first proposed by Thomas Henry... Xu Xing, of the Chinese Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology(IVPP) in Beijing, is a famed Chinese paleontologist who has named many dinosaurs, including the new Jurassic Ceratopsian Yinlong and feathered relative of Tyrannosaurus, Guanlong. ... A digital object identifier (or DOI) is a standard for persistently identifying a piece of intellectual property on a digital network and associating it with related data, the metadata, in a structured extensible way. ... Michael Crichton, pronounced [1], (born October 23, 1942) is an American author, film producer, film director, and television producer. ... Robert T. Bakker (Bob Bakker), born in Bergen, New Jersey, 1945, is a famous American paleontologist who has helped re_shape modern theories about dinosaurs, particularly by adding support to the theory that some dinosaurs were homeothermic (warm-blooded). ... Paul Callistus Sereno (born October 11, 1957) is an American paleontologist who is the discoverer of several new dinosaur species on several continents. ... Jeffrey A. Wilson is a professor of geological sciences and assistant curator at the Museum of Paleontology at the University of Michigan. ...

External links

Dinosaurs Portal

Wikispecies has information related to:

Velociraptor

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Velociraptor

Wikibooks has a book on the topic of

Wikijunior Dinosaurs/Velociraptor

• AMNH 6515 (holotype) in the Online Collections Database at the American Museum of Natural History.
• Several artistic renditions of Velociraptor.
• A video of Protoceratops vs Velociraptor from the American Museum of Natural History.

Image File history File links Portal. ... Image File history File links Wikispecies-logo. ... Wikispecies is a wiki-based online project supported by the Wikimedia Foundation that aims to create a comprehensive free content catalogue of all species (including animalia, plantae, fungi, bacteria, archaea, and protista). ... Image File history File links Commons-logo. ... Image File history File links Wikibooks-logo-en. ... Wikibooks logo Wikibooks, previously called Wikimedia Free Textbook Project and Wikimedia-Textbooks, is a wiki for the creation of books. ...