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''Velociraptor'' (; ) is a
genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nom ...
of small dromaeosaurid
dinosaur Dinosaurs are a diverse group of reptiles of the clade Dinosauria. They first appeared during the Triassic period, between 243 and 233.23 million years ago (mya), although the exact origin and timing of the evolution of dinosaurs is t ...
that lived in
Asia Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an are ...
during the
Late Cretaceous The Late Cretaceous (100.5–66 Ma) is the younger of two epochs into which the Cretaceous Period is divided in the geologic time scale. Rock strata from this epoch form the Upper Cretaceous Series. The Cretaceous is named after ''creta'', ...
epoch, about 75 million to 71
million years ago The abbreviation Myr, "million years", is a unit of a quantity of (i.e. ) years, or 31.556926 teraseconds. Usage Myr (million years) is in common use in fields such as Earth science and cosmology. Myr is also used with Mya (million years ago) ...
. Two species are currently recognized, although others have been assigned in the past. The
type species In zoological nomenclature, a type species (''species typica'') is the species name with which the name of a genus or subgenus is considered to be permanently taxonomically associated, i.e., the species that contains the biological type specime ...
is ''V. mongoliensis'';
fossil A fossil (from Classical Latin , ) is any preserved remains, impression, or trace of any once-living thing from a past geological age. Examples include bones, shells, exoskeletons, stone imprints of animals or microbes, objects preserved ...
s of this species have been discovered in the
Djadochta Formation The Djadochta Formation (sometimes Transcription (linguistics), transcribed and also known as Djadokhta, Djadokata, or Dzhadokhtskaya) is a highly fossiliferous geological formation situated in Central Asia, Gobi Desert, dating from the Late Creta ...
,
Mongolia Mongolia; Mongolian script: , , ; lit. "Mongol Nation" or "State of Mongolia" () is a landlocked country in East Asia, bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south. It covers an area of , with a population of just 3.3 million, ...
. A second species, ''V. osmolskae'', was named in 2008 for skull material from the
Bayan Mandahu Formation The Bayan Mandahu Formation (also known as Wulansuhai Formation or Wuliangsuhai Formation) is a geological unit of "redbeds" located near the village of Bayan Mandahu in Inner Mongolia, China Asia (Gobi Desert) and dates from the late Cretaceous ...
, China. Smaller than other dromaeosaurids like ''
Deinonychus ''Deinonychus'' ( ; ) is a genus of dromaeosaurid theropod dinosaur with one described species, ''Deinonychus antirrhopus''. This species, which could grow up to long, lived during the early Cretaceous Period, about 115–108 million y ...
'' and ''
Achillobator ''Achillobator'' ( ; meaning "Achilles hero") is a genus of large dromaeosaurid dinosaurs that lived in Asia during the Late Cretaceous period about 96 million to 89 million years ago in what is now the Bayan Shireh Formation. The genus is curren ...
'', ''Velociraptor'' was about long with a body mass between . It nevertheless shared many of the same anatomical features. It was a
biped Bipedalism is a form of terrestrial locomotion where an organism moves by means of its two rear limbs or legs. An animal or machine that usually moves in a bipedal manner is known as a biped , meaning 'two feet' (from Latin ''bis'' 'double' ...
al, feathered
carnivore A carnivore , or meat-eater (Latin, ''caro'', genitive ''carnis'', meaning meat or "flesh" and ''vorare'' meaning "to devour"), is an animal or plant whose food and energy requirements derive from animal tissues (mainly muscle, fat and other s ...
with a long tail and an enlarged sickle-shaped
claw A claw is a curved, pointed appendage found at the end of a toe or finger in most amniotes (mammals, reptiles, birds). Some invertebrates such as beetles and spiders have somewhat similar fine, hooked structures at the end of the leg or tarsus ...
on each hindfoot, which is thought to have been used to tackle and restrain
prey Predation is a biological interaction where one organism, the predator, kills and eats another organism, its prey. It is one of a family of common feeding behaviours that includes parasitism and micropredation (which usually do not kill ...
. ''Velociraptor'' can be distinguished from other dromaeosaurids by its long and low
skull The skull is a bone protective cavity for the brain. The skull is composed of four types of bone i.e., cranial bones, facial bones, ear ossicles and hyoid bone. However two parts are more prominent: the cranium and the mandible. In humans, th ...
, with an upturned snout. ''Velociraptor'' (commonly referred to as "raptor") is one of the dinosaur genera most familiar to the general public due to its prominent role in the '' Jurassic Park'' films. In real life, however, ''Velociraptor'' was roughly the size of a
turkey Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with a small portion on the Balkan Peninsula in ...
, considerably smaller than the approximately tall and reptiles seen in the novels and films (which were based on members of the related genus ''
Deinonychus ''Deinonychus'' ( ; ) is a genus of dromaeosaurid theropod dinosaur with one described species, ''Deinonychus antirrhopus''. This species, which could grow up to long, lived during the early Cretaceous Period, about 115–108 million y ...
''). Today, ''Velociraptor'' is well known to
paleontologists Paleontology (), also spelled palaeontology or palæontology, is the scientific study of life that existed prior to, and sometimes including, the start of the Holocene epoch (roughly 11,700 years before present). It includes the study of foss ...
, with over a dozen described fossil skeletons, the most of any dromaeosaurid. One particularly famous specimen preserves a ''Velociraptor'' locked in combat with a '' Protoceratops''.


History of discovery

During an American Museum of Natural History expedition to the
Flaming Cliffs The Flaming Cliffs site (also known as Bayanzag ( zh, 巴彥扎格), Bain-Dzak or Bayn Dzak) ( mn, Баянзаг ''rich in saxaul''), with the alternative Mongolian name of mn, Улаан Эрэг (''red cliffs''), is a region of the Gobi Deser ...
(Bayn Dzak or Bayanzag) of the
Djadochta Formation The Djadochta Formation (sometimes Transcription (linguistics), transcribed and also known as Djadokhta, Djadokata, or Dzhadokhtskaya) is a highly fossiliferous geological formation situated in Central Asia, Gobi Desert, dating from the Late Creta ...
, Gobi Desert, on 11 August 1923, Peter Kaisen discovered the first ''Velociraptor'' fossil known to science—a crushed but complete skull, associated with one of the raptorial second toe claws (
AMNH The American Museum of Natural History (abbreviated as AMNH) is a natural history museum on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New York City. In Theodore Roosevelt Park, across the street from Central Park, the museum complex comprises 26 i ...
6515). In 1924, museum president
Henry Fairfield Osborn Henry Fairfield Osborn, Sr. (August 8, 1857 – November 6, 1935) was an American paleontologist, geologist and eugenics advocate. He was the president of the American Museum of Natural History for 25 years and a cofounder of the American Euge ...
designated the skull and claw (which he assumed to come from the hand) as the
type specimen In biology, a type is a particular specimen (or in some cases a group of specimens) of an organism to which the scientific name of that organism is formally attached. In other words, a type is an example that serves to anchor or centralizes th ...
of his new genus, ''Velociraptor''. This name is derived from the
Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
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. Earlier that year, Osborn had informally mentioned the animal in a popular press article, under the name "Ovoraptor djadochtari" (not to be confused with the similarly named ''
Oviraptor ''Oviraptor'' (; ) is a genus of oviraptorid dinosaur that lived in Asia during the Late Cretaceous period. The first remains were collected from the Djadokhta Formation of Mongolia in 1923 during a paleontological expedition led by Roy Chapma ...
''), eventually changed into ''V. mongoliensis'' during its formal description. While North American teams were shut out of communist Mongolia during the Cold War, expeditions by
Soviet The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen nation ...
and Polish scientists, in collaboration with Mongolian colleagues, recovered several more specimens of ''Velociraptor''. The most famous is part of the " Fighting Dinosaurs" specimen ( MPC-D 100/25; formerly IGM, GIN, or GI SPS), discovered by a Polish-Mongolian team in 1971. The fossil preserves a ''Velociraptor'' in battle against a '' Protoceratops''. It is considered a national treasure of Mongolia, and in 2000 it was loaned to the American Museum of Natural History in
New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...
for a temporary exhibition. Between 1988 and 1990, a joint Chinese-
Canadian Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...
team discovered ''Velociraptor'' remains in northern China. 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. One such specimen, MPC-D 100/980, was nicknamed "Ichabodcraniosaurus" by Norell's team because the fairly complete specimen was found without its skull (an allusion to the
Washington Irving Washington Irving (April 3, 1783 – November 28, 1859) was an American short-story writer, essayist, biographer, historian, and diplomat of the early 19th century. He is best known for his short stories "Rip Van Winkle" (1819) and " The Legen ...
character Ichabod Crane).Novacek, Michael J. (1996). ''Dinosaurs of the Flaming Cliffs''. New York: Anchor Books. . While Norell and Makovicky provisionally considered it a specimen of ''Velociraptor mongoliensis'', it was named as a new species '' Shri devi'' in 2021.


Additional species

Maxilla The maxilla (plural: ''maxillae'' ) in vertebrates is the upper fixed (not fixed in Neopterygii) bone of the jaw formed from the fusion of two maxillary bones. In humans, the upper jaw includes the hard palate in the front of the mouth. T ...
e and a lacrimal (the main tooth-bearing bones of the upper jaw, and the bone that forms the anterior margin of the eye socket, respectively) recovered from the
Bayan Mandahu Formation The Bayan Mandahu Formation (also known as Wulansuhai Formation or Wuliangsuhai Formation) is a geological unit of "redbeds" located near the village of Bayan Mandahu in Inner Mongolia, China Asia (Gobi Desert) and dates from the late Cretaceous ...
in 1999 by the Sino-Belgian Dinosaur Expeditions were found to pertain to ''Velociraptor'', but not to the type species ''V. mongoliensis''.
Pascal Godefroit Pascal Godefroit is a Belgian paleontologist. He discovered dinosaurs like '' Olorotitan'' in 2003. Godefroit is the director of earth and life sciences This list of life sciences comprises the branches of science that involve the scientific st ...
and colleagues named these bones ''V. osmolskae'' (for Polish paleontologist Halszka Osmólska) in 2008. However, the 2013 study noted that while "the elongate shape of the maxilla in ''V. osmolskae'' is similar to that of ''V. mongoliensis''," phylogenetic analysis found it to be closer to '' Linheraptor'', making the genus paraphyletic; thus, ''V. osmolskae'' might not actually belong to the genus ''Velociraptor'' and requires reassessment. Paleontologists Mark A. Norell and Peter J. Makovicky in 1997 described new and abundantly preserved specimens of ''V. mongoliensis'', namely MPC-D 100/985 collected from the Tugrik Shireh locality in 1993, and MPC-D 100/986 collected in 1993 from the Chimney Buttes locality. The team briefly mentioned another specimen, MPC-D 100/982, which by the time of this publication remained undescribed. In 1999 Norell and Makovicky provided more insights into the anatomy of ''Velociraptor'' with additional specimens. Among these, MPC-D 100/982 was partially described and figured, and referred to ''V. mongoliensis'' mainly based on cranial similarities with the holotype skull, although they stated that differences were present between the pelvic region of this specimen and other ''Velociraptor'' specimens. This relatively well-preserved specimen including the skull was discovered and collected in 1995 at the Bayn Dzak locality (more especifically at the "Volcano" sub-locality). Martin Kundrát in a 2004 abstract compared the neurocranium of MPC-D 100/982 to another ''Velociraptor'' specimen, MPC-D 100/976. He concluded that the overall morphology of the former was more derived (advanced) than the latter, suggesting that they could represent distinct taxa. Mark J. Powers in his 2020 master thesis fully described MPC-D 100/982, which he concluded to represent a new and third species of ''Velociraptor''. This species, which he named ''"V. vadarostrum"'', was stated to mainly differ from other ''Velociraptor'' species in having a shallow maxilla morphology. Powers and colleagues also in 2020 used morphometric analyses to compare several dromaeosaurid maxillae, and found the maxilla of MPC-D 100/982 to strongly differ from specimens referred to ''Velociraptor''. They indicated that this specimen, based on these results, represents a different species. In 2021 Powers with team used Principal Component Analysis to separate dromaeosaurid maxillae, most notably finding that MPC-D 100/982 falls outside the instraspecific variability of ''V. mongoliensis'', arguing for a distinct species. They considered that both ''V. mongoliensis'' and this new species were ecologically separated based on their skull anatomy. The team in another 2021 abstract reinforced again the species-level separation, noting that additional differences can be found in the hindlimbs.


Description

''Velociraptor'' was a small to medium-sized dromaeosaurid, with adults measuring between long, approximately high at the hips, and weighing about . Prominent quill knobs—attachment site of "
wing A wing is a type of fin that produces lift while moving through air or some other fluid. Accordingly, wings have streamlined cross-sections that are subject to aerodynamic forces and act as airfoils. A wing's aerodynamic efficiency is e ...
" feathers and direct indicator of a feather covering—have been reported from the
ulna The ulna (''pl''. ulnae or ulnas) is a long bone found in the forearm that stretches from the elbow to the smallest finger, and when in anatomical position, is found on the medial side of the forearm. That is, the ulna is on the same side of t ...
of a single ''Velociraptor'' specimen (IGM 100/981), which represents an animal of estimated long and in weight. The spacing of 6 preserved knobs suggests that 8 additional knobs may have been present, giving a total of 14 quill knobs that developed large secondaries ("wing" feathers stemming from the forearm). However, the specimen number has been corrected to IGM 100/3503 and its referral to ''Velociraptor'' may require reevaluation, pending further study. Nevertheless, there is strong phylogenetic evidence from other dromaeosaurid relatives that indicates the presence of feathers in ''Velociraptor'', including dromaeosaurids such as '' Microraptor'' or ''
Zhenyuanlong ''Zhenyuanlong'' (meaning ''"Zhenyuan's dragon"'', from Chinese Pinyin 龙/ 龍 lóng ''"dragon"'') is a genus of dromaeosaurid dinosaur from the Yixian Formation of Liaoning, China. It lived during the Aptian age of the early Cretaceous perio ...
''.


Skull

The skull of ''Velociraptor'' was rather elongated and grew up to long. It was uniquely up-curved at the snout region, concave on the upper surface, and convex on the lower surface. The snout, which occupied about 60% of the entire skull length, was notably narrow and mainly formed by the nasal, premaxilla, and maxilla bones. The was the anteriormost bone in the skull, and it was longer than taller. While its posterior end joined the nasal, the main body of the premaxilla touched the maxilla. The was nearly triangular in shape and the largest element of the snout. On its center or main body, there was a depression developing a small oval to circular-shaped hole, called maxillary fenestra. Though in front of this fenestra were two small openings, referred to as promaxillary fenestrae. The posterior border of the maxilla formed (predominantly) the antorbital fenestra, one of the several large holes in the skull. Both premaxilla and maxilla had several alveoli (
tooth A tooth ( : teeth) is a hard, calcified structure found in the jaws (or mouths) of many vertebrates and used to break down food. Some animals, particularly carnivores and omnivores, also use teeth to help with capturing or wounding prey, t ...
sockets) on their bottom surfaces. Above the maxilla and making contact with the premaxilla, there was the bone. It was a thin/narrow and elongated bone contributing to the top surface of the snout. Together, both premaxilla and nasal bones gave form to the naris or narial fenestra (nostril opening), which was relatively large and circular. The posterior end of the nasal was joined by the frontal and lacrimal bones. The back or anterior region of the skull was built by the frontal, lacrimal, postorbital, jugal, parietal, quadrate, and quadratojugal bones. The was large element, having a vaguely rectangular shape when seen from above. On its posterior end, this bone was in contact with the , and such elements were the main bodies of the skull roof. The was a T-shaped bone and its main body was thin and delicated. Its lower end meet the (often called cheek bone), which was a large, sub-triangular-shaped element. Its lower border was notably straight/horizontal. The was located just above the jugal: a stocky and strongly T-shaped bone. As a whole, the orbit or orbital fenestra (eye socket)—formed by the lacrimal, jugal, frontal, and postorbital—was large and near circular in shape, being longer than taller. When seen from above, a pair of large and markedly rounded holes were present near the rear of the skull (the temporal fenestrae), whose main components were the postorbital and squamosal. Behind the jugal, an inverted T-shaped bone (also seen in other dromaeosaurids), known as the , was developed. While the upper end of the quadratojugal joined the , an irregularly-shaped element, its inner side meet the . The latter was of great importance for the articulation with the lower jaw. The posteriormost bone was the and its projection the
occipital condyle The occipital condyles are undersurface protuberances of the occipital bone in vertebrates, which function in articulation with the superior facets of the atlas vertebra. The condyles are oval or reniform (kidney-shaped) in shape, and their anteri ...
: a rounded and bulbous protuberance that meet the first vertebra of the neck. The lower jaw of ''Velociraptor'' comprised mainly the dentary, splenial, angular, surangular, and articular bones. The was a very long, weakly curved, and narrow element that developed several alveoli on its top surface. On its posterior end, it meet the . It had a small hole near its posterior end, called surangular foramen or fenestra. Both bones were the largest elements of the lower jaw of ''Velociraptor'', contributing to virtually its entire length. Below them were the smaller and , closely articulated to each other. The , located on the inner side of the surangular, was a small element that joined the quadrate of the upper skull, enabling the articulation with the lower jaw. An elongated, near oval-shaped hole was developed in the center of the lower jaw (the mandibular fenestra), and it was produced by the joint of the dentary, surangular, and angular bones. The teeth of ''Velociraptor'' were fairly homodont (equal in shape) and had several denticles (serrations), each more strongly serrated on the back edge than the front. The premaxilla had 4 alveoli (meaning that 4 teeth were developed), and the maxilla had 11 alveoli. At the dentary, between 14-15 alveoli were present. All teeth present at the premaxilla were poorly curved, and the two first teeth were the longest, with the second having a characteristic large size. The maxillary teeth were more slender, recurved, and most notably, the lower end was strongly more serrated than the upper one.


Postcranial skeleton

The arm of ''Velociraptor'' was formed by the humerus (upper arm bone),
radius In classical geometry, a radius ( : radii) of a circle or sphere is any of the line segments from its center to its perimeter, and in more modern usage, it is also their length. The name comes from the latin ''radius'', meaning ray but also the ...
and
ulna The ulna (''pl''. ulnae or ulnas) is a long bone found in the forearm that stretches from the elbow to the smallest finger, and when in anatomical position, is found on the medial side of the forearm. That is, the ulna is on the same side of t ...
(forearm bones), and manus (hand). ''Velociraptor'', like other dromaeosaurids, had a large manus with three elongated digits (fingers), which ended up in strongly curved unguals (claw bones) that were similar in construction and flexibility to the wing bones of modern
bird Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class Aves (), characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the laying of hard-shelled eggs, a high metabolic rate, a four-chambered heart, and a strong yet lightweig ...
s. The second digit was the longest of the three digits present, while the first was shortest. The structure of the
carpal The carpal bones are the eight small bones that make up the wrist (or carpus) that connects the hand to the forearm. The term "carpus" is derived from the Latin carpus and the Greek καρπός (karpós), meaning "wrist". In human anatomy, the ...
(wrist) bones prevented pronation of the wrist and forced the manus to be held with the palmar surface facing inward ( medially), not downward. The pes (foot) anatomy of ''Velociraptor'' consisted of the metatarsus—a large element composed of three metatarsals of which the first one was extremely reduced in size—and four digits that developed large unguals. The first digit, as in other theropods, was a small
dewclaw A dewclaw is a digit – vestigial in some animals – on the foot of many mammals, birds, and reptiles (including some extinct orders, like certain theropods). It commonly grows higher on the leg than the rest of the foot, such that in digit ...
. The second digit, for which ''Velociraptor'' is most famous, was highly modified and held retracted off the ground, which caused ''Velociraptor'' and other dromaeosaurids to walk on only their third and fourth digits. It bore a relatively large, sickle-shaped claw, typical of dromaeosaurid and
troodontid Troodontidae is a clade of bird-like theropod dinosaurs. During most of the 20th century, troodontid fossils were few and incomplete and they have therefore been allied, at various times, with many dinosaurian lineages. More recent fossil disco ...
dinosaurs. This enlarged claw, which could grow to over long around its outer edge, was most likely a predatory device used to restrain struggling prey. As in other dromaeosaurs, ''Velociraptor'' tails had prezygapophyses (long bony projections) on the upper surfaces of the
vertebra The spinal column, a defining synapomorphy shared by nearly all vertebrates, Hagfish are believed to have secondarily lost their spinal column is a moderately flexible series of vertebrae (singular vertebra), each constituting a characteristi ...
e, as well as
ossified Ossification (also called osteogenesis or bone mineralization) in bone remodeling is the process of laying down new bone material by cells named osteoblasts. It is synonymous with bone tissue formation. There are two processes resulting in t ...
tendon A tendon or sinew is a tough, high-tensile-strength band of dense fibrous connective tissue that connects muscle to bone. It is able to transmit the mechanical forces of muscle contraction to the skeletal system without sacrificing its ability ...
s underneath. 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. These were once thought to fully stiffen the tail, forcing the entire tail to act as a single rod-like unit. However, at least one specimen has preserved a series of intact tail vertebrae curved sideways into an ''S''-shape, suggesting that there was considerably more horizontal flexibility than once thought.


Classification

''Velociraptor'' is a member of the group
Eudromaeosauria Eudromaeosauria ("true dromaeosaurs") is a subgroup of terrestrial dromaeosaurid theropod dinosaurs. They were relatively small to medium-sized, feathered hypercarnivores (with diets consisting almost entirely of other terrestrial vertebrates) ...
, a derived sub-group of the larger family Dromaeosauridae. It is often placed within its own subfamily,
Velociraptorinae Velociraptorinae is a subfamily of the theropod group Dromaeosauridae. The earliest velociraptorines are probably ''Nuthetes'' from the United Kingdom, and possibly '' Deinonychus'' from North America. However, several indeterminate velociraptor ...
. In phylogenetic taxonomy, Velociraptorinae is usually defined as "all dromaeosaurs more closely related to ''Velociraptor'' than to '' Dromaeosaurus''." However, dromaeosaurid classification is highly variable. Originally, the subfamily Velociraptorinae was erected solely to contain ''Velociraptor''. Other analyses have often included other genera, usually ''Deinonychus'' and '' Saurornitholestes'', and more recently ''Tsaagan''. Several studies published during the 2010s, including expanded versions of the analyses that found support for Velociraptorinae, have failed to resolve it as a distinct group, but rather have suggested it is a paraphyletic grade which gave rise to the
Dromaeosaurinae Dromaeosaurinae is a subfamily of the theropod group Dromaeosauridae. The earliest dromaeosaurine is ''Utahraptor'', dating back to the Early Cretaceous period in North America, however, some isolated teeth seems to represent an indeterminate spe ...
. When first described in 1924, ''Velociraptor'' was placed in the family
Megalosauridae Megalosauridae is a monophyletic family of carnivorous theropod dinosaurs within the group Megalosauroidea. Appearing in the Middle Jurassic, megalosaurids were among the first major radiation of large theropod dinosaurs. They were a relatively ...
, as was the case with most carnivorous dinosaurs at the time (Megalosauridae, like ''
Megalosaurus ''Megalosaurus'' (meaning "great lizard", from Greek , ', meaning 'big', 'tall' or 'great' and , ', meaning 'lizard') is an extinct genus of large carnivorous theropod dinosaurs of the Middle Jurassic period (Bathonian stage, 166 million years ...
'', functioned as a sort of 'wastebin' taxon, where many unrelated species were grouped together). As dinosaur discoveries multiplied, ''Velociraptor'' was later recognized as a dromaeosaurid. All dromaeosaurids have also been referred to the family
Archaeopterygidae Archaeopterygidae is a group of maniraptoran dinosaurs, known from the latest Jurassic and earliest Cretaceous of Europe. In most current classifications, it contains only the genera ''Archaeopteryx'' and ''Wellnhoferia''. As its name suggests, ...
by at least one author (which would, in effect, make ''Velociraptor'' a flightless bird). 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''. As of 2008, the only currently recognized species of ''Velociraptor'' are ''V. mongoliensis'' and ''V. osmolskae''. However, several studies have found "''V.''" ''osmolskae'' to be distantly related to ''V. mongoliensis''. Material was copied from this source, which is available under
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
Below are the results for the Eudromaeosauria
phylogeny A phylogenetic tree (also phylogeny or evolutionary tree Felsenstein J. (2004). ''Inferring Phylogenies'' Sinauer Associates: Sunderland, MA.) is a branching diagram or a tree showing the evolutionary relationships among various biological spe ...
based on the
phylogenetic analysis In biology, phylogenetics (; from Greek φυλή/ φῦλον [] "tribe, clan, race", and wikt:γενετικός, γενετικός [] "origin, source, birth") is the study of the evolutionary history and relationships among or within groups o ...
conducted by James G. Napoli and team in 2021 during the description of '' Kuru'', showing the position of ''Velociraptor'':


Paleobiology


Feathers

In 2007 Alan H. Turner and colleagues reported the presence of six quill knobs in the ulna of a referred ''Velociraptor'' specimen (IGM 100/981) from the Ukhaa Tolgod locality of the
Djadochta Formation The Djadochta Formation (sometimes Transcription (linguistics), transcribed and also known as Djadokhta, Djadokata, or Dzhadokhtskaya) is a highly fossiliferous geological formation situated in Central Asia, Gobi Desert, dating from the Late Creta ...
. Turner and colleagues interpreted the presence of feathers on ''Velociraptor'' as evidence against the idea that the larger, flightless
maniraptora Maniraptora is a clade of coelurosaurian dinosaurs which includes the birds and the non-avian dinosaurs that were more closely related to them than to ''Ornithomimus velox''. It contains the major subgroups Avialae, Deinonychosauria, Oviraptoros ...
ns 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. Because of the presence of another dromaeosaurid in Ukhaa Tolgod, '' Tsaagan'', Napoli and team have noted that the referral of this specimen to ''Velociraptor'' is currently subject to rexamination.


Senses

Examinations of the endocranium of ''Velociraptor'' indicate that it was able to detect and hear a wide range of sound frequencies (2,368–3,965 Hz) and could track prey with ease as a result. The endocranium examinations also further cemented the theory that the dromaeosaur was an agile, swift predator. Fossil evidence suggesting ''Velociraptor'' scavenged also indicates that it was an opportunistic and actively predatory animal, feeding on carrion during times of drought or famine, if in poor health, or depending on the animal's age.


Feeding

In 2020, Powers and colleagues re-examined the maxillae of several eudromaeosaur taxa concluding that most Asian and North American eudromaeosaurs were separated by snout morphology and ecological strategies. They found the maxilla to be a reliable reference when inferring the shape of the
premaxilla The premaxilla (or praemaxilla) is one of a pair of small cranial bones at the very tip of the upper jaw of many animals, usually, but not always, bearing teeth. In humans, they are fused with the maxilla. The "premaxilla" of therian mammal has ...
and overall snout. For instance, most Asian species have elongated snouts based on the maxilla (namely velociraptorines), indicating a selective feeding in ''Velociraptor'' and relatives, such as picking up small, fast prey. In contrast, most North American eudromaeosaurs, mostly dromaeosaurines, feature a robust and deep maxillar morphology. However, the large dromaeosurine ''Achillobator'' is a unique exception to Asian taxa with its deep maxilla.


Predatory behavior

The " Fighting Dinosaurs" specimen, found in 1971, preserves a ''Velociraptor mongoliensis'' and ''
Protoceratops andrewsi ''Protoceratops'' (; ) is a genus of small protoceratopsid dinosaurs that lived in Asia during the Late Cretaceous, around 75 to 71 million years ago. The genus ''Protoceratops'' includes two species: ''P. andrewsi'' and the larger ''P. hellenik ...
'' in combat and provides direct evidence of predatory behavior. When originally reported, it was hypothesized that the two animals drowned. 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 A dust storm, also called a sandstorm, is a meteorological phenomenon common in arid and semi-arid regions. Dust storms arise when a gust front or other strong wind blows loose sand and dirt from a dry surface. Fine particles are transpo ...
. Burial must have been extremely fast, judging from the lifelike poses in which the animals were preserved. Parts of the ''Protoceratops'' are missing, which has been seen as evidence of
scavenging Scavengers are animals that consume dead organisms that have died from causes other than predation or have been killed by other predators. While scavenging generally refers to carnivores feeding on carrion, it is also a herbivorous feeding ...
by other animals. Comparisons between the scleral rings of ''Velociraptor'', ''Protoceratops'', and modern birds and reptiles indicates that ''Velociraptor'' may have been nocturnal, while ''Protoceratops'' may have been
cathemeral Cathemerality, sometimes called metaturnality, is an organismal activity pattern of irregular intervals during the day or night in which food is acquired, socializing with other organisms occurs, and any other activities necessary for livelihood ar ...
, active throughout the day during short intervals, suggesting that the fight may have occurred at twilight or during low-light conditions. 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 Disembowelment or evisceration is the removal of some or all of the organs of the gastrointestinal tract (the bowels, or viscera), usually through a horizontal incision made across the abdominal area. Disembowelment may result from an accident ...
prey. 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 The jugular veins are veins that take deoxygenated blood from the head back to the heart via the superior vena cava. The internal jugular vein descends next to the internal carotid artery and continues posteriorly to the sternocleidomastoid mu ...
, carotid artery, or
trachea The trachea, also known as the windpipe, is a cartilaginous tube that connects the larynx to the bronchi of the lungs, allowing the passage of air, and so is present in almost all air- breathing animals with lungs. The trachea extends from the ...
(windpipe), rather than slashing the abdomen. The inside edge of the claw was rounded and not unusually sharp, which may have precluded any sort of cutting or slashing action, although only the bony core of the claw is preserved. The thick abdominal wall of
skin Skin is the layer of usually soft, flexible outer tissue covering the body of a vertebrate animal, with three main functions: protection, regulation, and sensation. Other animal coverings, such as the arthropod exoskeleton, have different de ...
and muscle of large prey species would have been difficult to slash without a specialized cutting surface. The slashing
hypothesis A hypothesis (plural hypotheses) is a proposed explanation for a phenomenon. For a hypothesis to be a scientific hypothesis, the scientific method requires that one can test it. Scientists generally base scientific hypotheses on previous obse ...
was tested during a 2005
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
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 Pork belly or belly pork is a boneless and fatty cut of meat from the belly of a pig. Pork belly is particularly popular in Hispanic, Chinese, Danish, Norwegian, Korean, Thai and Filipino cuisine. Regional dishes France In Alsatian ...
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. Remains of ''
Deinonychus ''Deinonychus'' ( ; ) is a genus of dromaeosaurid theropod dinosaur with one described species, ''Deinonychus antirrhopus''. This species, which could grow up to long, lived during the early Cretaceous Period, about 115–108 million y ...
'', a closely related dromaeosaurid, have commonly been found in aggregations of several individuals. ''Deinonychus'' has also been found in association with the large ornithopod ''
Tenontosaurus ''Tenontosaurus'' ( ; ) is a genus of medium- to large-sized ornithopod dinosaur. It was a relatively medium sized ornithopod, reaching in length and in body mass. It had an unusually long, broad tail, which like its back was stiffened with a n ...
'', which has been cited as evidence of cooperative (pack) hunting. However, the only solid evidence for social behavior of any kind among dromaeosaurids comes from a Chinese trackway which shows six individuals of a large species moving as a group. Although many isolated fossils of ''Velociraptor'' have been found in Mongolia, none were closely associated with other individuals. Therefore, while ''Velociraptor'' is commonly depicted as a
pack hunter A pack hunter or social predator is a predatory animal which hunts its prey by working together with other members of its species. Normally animals hunting in this way are closely related, and with the exceptions of chimpanzees where only male ...
, as in ''Jurassic Park'', there is only limited fossil evidence to support this theory for dromaeosaurids in general and none specific to ''Velociraptor'' itself. Dromeosaur footprints in China suggest that a few other raptor genera may have hunted in packs, but there have been no conclusive examples of pack behavior found. In 2011, Denver Fowler and colleagues suggested a new method by which dromaeosaurs like ''Velociraptor'' and similar dromaeosaurs may have captured and restrained prey. This model, known as the "raptor prey restraint" (RPR) model of predation, proposes that dromaeosaurs killed their prey in a manner very similar to extant
accipitrid The Accipitridae is one of the three families within the order Accipitriformes, and is a family of small to large birds with strongly hooked bills and variable morphology based on diet. They feed on a range of prey items from insects to medium-s ...
birds of prey Birds of prey or predatory birds, also known as raptors, are hypercarnivorous bird species that actively hunt and feed on other vertebrates (mainly mammals, reptiles and other smaller birds). In addition to speed and strength, these predat ...
: by leaping onto their quarry, pinning it under their body weight, and gripping it tightly with the large, sickle-shaped claws. These researchers proposed that, like accipitrids, the dromaeosaur would then begin to feed on the animal while it was still alive, and prey death would eventually result from blood loss and organ failure. This proposal is based primarily on comparisons between the morphology and proportions of the feet and legs of dromaeosaurs to several groups of extant birds of prey with known predatory behaviors. Fowler found that the feet and legs of dromaeosaurs most closely resemble those of
eagle Eagle is the common name for many large birds of prey of the family Accipitridae. Eagles belong to several groups of genera, some of which are closely related. Most of the 68 species of eagle are from Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, j ...
s and hawks, especially in terms of having an enlarged second claw and a similar range of grasping motion. The short
metatarsus The metatarsal bones, or metatarsus, are a group of five long bones in the foot, located between the tarsal bones of the hind- and mid-foot and the phalanges of the toes. Lacking individual names, the metatarsal bones are numbered from the me ...
and foot strength, however, would have been more similar to that of
owl Owls are birds from the order Strigiformes (), which includes over 200 species of mostly solitary and nocturnal birds of prey typified by an upright stance, a large, broad head, binocular vision, binaural hearing, sharp talons, and feathers a ...
s. The RPR method of predation would be consistent with other aspects of ''Velociraptor''s anatomy, such as their unusual jaw and arm morphology. The arms, which could exert a lot of force but were likely covered in long feathers, may have been used as flapping stabilizers for balance while atop a struggling prey animal, along with the stiff counterbalancing tail. The jaws, thought by Fowler and colleagues to be comparatively weak, would have been useful for row saw motion bites like the modern day
Komodo dragon The Komodo dragon (''Varanus komodoensis''), also known as the Komodo monitor, is a member of the monitor lizard family Varanidae that is endemic to the Indonesian islands of Komodo, Rinca, Flores, and Gili Motang. It is the largest extant ...
, which also has a weak bite, to finish off its prey if the kicks weren't powerful enough. These predatory adaptations working together may also have implications for the origin of flapping in paravians.


Scavenging behavior

In 2010, Hone and colleagues published a paper on their 2008 discovery of shed teeth of what they believed to be a ''Velociraptor'' near a tooth-marked jaw bone of what they believed to be a ''Protoceratops'' in the Bayan Mandahu Formation. The authors concluded that the find represented "late-stage carcass consumption by ''Velociraptor''" as the predator would have eaten other parts of a freshly killed ''Protoceratops'' before biting in the jaw area. The evidence was seen as supporting the inference from the "Fighting Dinosaurs" fossil that ''Protoceratops'' was part of the diet of ''Velociraptor''. In 2012, Hone and colleagues published a paper that described a ''Velociraptor'' specimen with a long bone of an
azhdarchid Azhdarchidae (from the Persian word , , a dragon-like creature in Persian mythology) is a family of pterosaurs known primarily from the Late Cretaceous Period, though an isolated vertebra apparently from an azhdarchid is known from the Early Cre ...
pterosaur Pterosaurs (; from Greek ''pteron'' and ''sauros'', meaning "wing lizard") is an extinct clade of flying reptiles in the order, Pterosauria. They existed during most of the Mesozoic: from the Late Triassic to the end of the Cretaceous (228 ...
in its gut. This was interpreted as showing scavenging behaviour.


Metabolism

''Velociraptor'' was
warm-blooded Warm-blooded is an informal term referring to animal species which can maintain a body temperature higher than their environment. In particular, homeothermic species maintain a stable body temperature by regulating metabolic processes. The onl ...
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 Metabolism (, from el, μεταβολή ''metabolē'', "change") is the set of life-sustaining chemical reactions in organisms. The three main functions of metabolism are: the conversion of the energy in food to energy available to run c ...
, 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.


Paleopathology

Norell with colleagues in 1995 reported one ''V. mongoliensis'' skull bearing two parallel rows of small punctures on its frontal bones that, upon closer examination, match the spacing and size of ''Velociraptor'' teeth. They suggested that the wound was likely inflicted by another ''Velociraptor'' during a fight between the species. Because its bone structure shows no sign of
healing With physical trauma or disease suffered by an organism, healing involves the repairing of damaged tissue(s), organs and the biological system as a whole and resumption of (normal) functioning. Medicine includes the process by which the cells ...
near the bite wounds and the overall specimen was not scavenged, this individual was likely killed by this fatal wound. In 2001 Molnar and team noted that this specimen is MPC-D 100/976 hailing from the Tugrik Shireh locality, which has also yielded the Fighting Dinosaurs specimen. In 2012 David Hone and team reported another injured ''Velociraptor'' specimen (MPC-D 100/54, roughly a sub-adult individual) found with the bones of an
azhdarchid Azhdarchidae (from the Persian word , , a dragon-like creature in Persian mythology) is a family of pterosaurs known primarily from the Late Cretaceous Period, though an isolated vertebra apparently from an azhdarchid is known from the Early Cre ...
pterosaur within its stomach cavity, was carrying or recovering from an injury sustained to one broken rib. From evidence on the pterosaur bones, which were devoid of pitting or deformations from digestion, the ''Velociraptor'' died shortly after, possibly from the earlier injury. Nevertheless, the team noted that this broken ribs shows signs of bone healing.


Paleoenvironment


Bayan Mandahu Formation

In both
Bayan Mandahu The Bayan Mandahu Formation (also known as Wulansuhai Formation or Wuliangsuhai Formation) is a geological unit of "redbeds" located near the village of Bayan Mandahu in Inner Mongolia, China Asia (Gobi Desert) and dates from the late Cretaceous P ...
and Djadochta formations many of the same genera were present, though they varied at the species level. These differences in species composition may be due a natural barrier separating the two formations, which are relatively close to each other geographically. However, given the lack of any known barrier which would cause the specific faunal compositions found in these areas, it is more likely that those differences indicate a slight time difference. ''V. osmolskae'' lived alongside the ankylosaurid '' Pinacosaurus mephistocephalus''; alvarezsaurid '' Linhenykus''; closely related dromaeosaurid '' Linheraptor''; oviraptorids '' Machairasaurus'' and '' Wulatelong''; protoceratopsids ''
Bagaceratops ''Bagaceratops'' (meaning "small-horned face") is a genus of small protoceratopsid dinosaurs that lived in Asia during the Late Cretaceous, around 72 to 71 million years ago. ''Bagaceratops'' remains have been reported from the Barun Goyot Form ...
'' and '' Protoceratops hellenikorhinus''; and troodontids ''
Linhevenator ''Linhevenator'' is a genus of short-armed Troodontidae, troodontid theropod dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous (Campanian) Bayan Mandahu Formation of Bayan Mandahu, Inner Mongolia, China. Discovery The type species ''Linhevenator tani'' was na ...
'', '' Papiliovenator'', and ''
Philovenator ''Philovenator'' (literally meaning "love hunter") is an extinct genus of troodontid paravian dinosaurs from the Wulansuhai Formation (dated to the Campanian age, sometime between 75 and 71 million years ago) of Inner Mongolia, China. Its spec ...
''. Sediments across the formation indicate a similar depositional environment to that of the Djadochta Formation.


Djadochta Formation

Known specimens of ''Velociraptor mongoliensis'' have been recovered from the
Djadochta Formation The Djadochta Formation (sometimes Transcription (linguistics), transcribed and also known as Djadokhta, Djadokata, or Dzhadokhtskaya) is a highly fossiliferous geological formation situated in Central Asia, Gobi Desert, dating from the Late Creta ...
(also spelled Djadokhta), in the
Mongolia Mongolia; Mongolian script: , , ; lit. "Mongol Nation" or "State of Mongolia" () is a landlocked country in East Asia, bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south. It covers an area of , with a population of just 3.3 million, ...
n province of Ömnögovi. This
geological formation A geological formation, or simply formation, is a body of rock having a consistent set of physical characteristics ( lithology) that distinguishes it from adjacent bodies of rock, and which occupies a particular position in the layers of rock exp ...
is estimated to date back to the
Campanian The Campanian is the fifth of six ages of the Late Cretaceous Epoch on the geologic timescale of the International Commission on Stratigraphy (ICS). In chronostratigraphy, it is the fifth of six stages in the Upper Cretaceous Series. Campani ...
stage Stage or stages may refer to: Acting * Stage (theatre), a space for the performance of theatrical productions * Theatre, a branch of the performing arts, often referred to as "the stage" * ''The Stage'', a weekly British theatre newspaper * Sta ...
(between 75 million and 71 million years ago) of the
Late Cretaceous The Late Cretaceous (100.5–66 Ma) is the younger of two epochs into which the Cretaceous Period is divided in the geologic time scale. Rock strata from this epoch form the Upper Cretaceous Series. The Cretaceous is named after ''creta'', ...
epoch In chronology and periodization, an epoch or reference epoch is an instant in time chosen as the origin of a particular calendar era. The "epoch" serves as a reference point from which time is measured. The moment of epoch is usually decided by ...
. The abundant sediments—
sand Sand is a granular material composed of finely divided mineral particles. Sand has various compositions but is defined by its grain size. Sand grains are smaller than gravel and coarser than silt. Sand can also refer to a textural class o ...
s,
sandstone Sandstone is a clastic sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized (0.0625 to 2 mm) silicate grains. Sandstones comprise about 20–25% of all sedimentary rocks. Most sandstone is composed of quartz or feldspar (both silicates ...
s, or
caliche Caliche () is a sedimentary rock, a hardened natural cement of calcium carbonate that binds other materials—such as gravel, sand, clay, and silt. It occurs worldwide, in aridisol and mollisol soil orders—generally in arid or semiarid regions ...
—of the Djadochta Formation were deposited by eolian (wind) processes in arid settings with fields of sand dunes and only intermittent streams, as indicated by very sparse fluvial (river-deposited) sedimentation, under a
semi-arid climate A semi-arid climate, semi-desert climate, or steppe climate is a dry climate sub-type. It is located on regions that receive precipitation below potential evapotranspiration, but not as low as a desert climate. There are different kinds of sem ...
. The Djadochta Formation is separated into a lower Bayn Dzak Member and upper Turgrugyin Member. ''V. mongoliensis'' is known from both members, represented by numerous specimens. The Bayn Dzak Member (mainly Bayn Dzak locality) has yielded the oviraptorid ''
Oviraptor ''Oviraptor'' (; ) is a genus of oviraptorid dinosaur that lived in Asia during the Late Cretaceous period. The first remains were collected from the Djadokhta Formation of Mongolia in 1923 during a paleontological expedition led by Roy Chapma ...
''; ankylosaurid '' Pinacosaurus grangeri''; protoceratopsid ''
Protoceratops andrewsi ''Protoceratops'' (; ) is a genus of small protoceratopsid dinosaurs that lived in Asia during the Late Cretaceous, around 75 to 71 million years ago. The genus ''Protoceratops'' includes two species: ''P. andrewsi'' and the larger ''P. hellenik ...
''; and troodontid ''
Saurornithoides ''Saurornithoides'' ( ) is a genus of troodontid maniraptoran dinosaur, which lived during the Late Cretaceous period. These creatures were predators, which could run fast on their hind legs and had excellent sight and hearing. The name is deri ...
''. The younger Turgrugyin Member (mainly Tugriken Shireh locality) has produced the bird '' Elsornis''; dromaeosaurid ''
Mahakala Mahākāla is a deity common to Hinduism and Tantric Buddhism. In Buddhism, Mahākāla is regarded as the sacred '' Dharmapāla'' ("Protector of the Dharma"), while in Hinduism, Mahākāla is a fierce manifestation of the Hindu god Shiva and th ...
'': ornithomimid ''
Aepyornithomimus ''Aepyornithomimus'' (meaning "''Aepyornis'' mimic") is a genus of ornithomimid theropod dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous Djadokhta Formation in Mongolia. It lived in the Campanian, around 75 million years ago, when the area is thought to have b ...
''; and protoceratopsid ''Protoceratops andrewsi''. ''V. mongoliensis'' has been found at many of the most famous and prolific Djadochta localities. The type specimen was discovered at the
Flaming Cliffs The Flaming Cliffs site (also known as Bayanzag ( zh, 巴彥扎格), Bain-Dzak or Bayn Dzak) ( mn, Баянзаг ''rich in saxaul''), with the alternative Mongolian name of mn, Улаан Эрэг (''red cliffs''), is a region of the Gobi Deser ...
site (sublocality of the larger Bayn Dzak locality/region), while the "Fighting Dinosaurs" were found at the Tugrik Shire locality (also known as Tugrugeen Shireh and many other spellings). The latter is notorious for its exceptional ''
in situ ''In situ'' (; often not italicized in English) is a Latin phrase that translates literally to "on site" or "in position." It can mean "locally", "on site", "on the premises", or "in place" to describe where an event takes place and is used in ...
'' fossil preservation. Based on deposits (such as structureless sandstones), it has been concluded that a large number of specimens were buried alive during powerful sand-bearing events, common to the these paleoenvironments.


Cultural significance

''Velociraptor'' is commonly perceived as a vicious and cunning killer thanks to their portrayal 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 actually modeled after the closely related dromaeosaurid ''
Deinonychus ''Deinonychus'' ( ; ) is a genus of dromaeosaurid theropod dinosaur with one described species, ''Deinonychus antirrhopus''. This species, which could grow up to long, lived during the early Cretaceous Period, about 115–108 million y ...
''. Paleontologists in both the novel and film excavate a skeleton in
Montana Montana () is a state in the Mountain West division of the Western United States. It is bordered by Idaho to the west, North Dakota and South Dakota to the east, Wyoming to the south, and the Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columb ...
, far from the central Asian range of ''Velociraptor'' but characteristic of the ''Deinonychus'' range. Crichton met with the discoverer of ''Deinonychus'',
John Ostrom John Harold Ostrom (February 18, 1928 – July 16, 2005) was an American paleontologist who revolutionized modern understanding of dinosaurs in the 1960s. As first proposed by Thomas Henry Huxley in the 1860s, Ostrom showed that dinosaurs were ...
, several times at
Yale University Yale University is a Private university, private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the List of Colonial Colleges, third-oldest institution of higher education in the United Sta ...
to discuss details of the animal's possible range of behaviors and appearance. Crichton at one point apologetically told Ostrom that he had decided to use the name ''Velociraptor'' in place of ''Deinonychus'' because the former name was "more dramatic." According to Ostrom, Crichton stated that the ''Velociraptor'' of the novel was based on ''Deinonychus'' in almost every detail, and that only the name had been changed. The ''Jurassic Park'' film-makers also requested all of Ostrom's published papers on ''Deinonychus'' during production.Cummings, M.
Yale’s legacy in ''Jurassic World''
" ''Yale News'', 18-Jun-2015.
They portrayed the animals with the size, proportions, and snout shape of ''Deinonychus'' rather than ''Velociraptor''. Production on ''Jurassic Park'' began before the discovery of the large dromaeosaurid '' Utahraptor'' was made public in 1991, but as Jody Duncan wrote about this discovery: "Later, after we had designed and built the raptor, there was a discovery of a raptor skeleton in Utah, which they labeled 'super-slasher.' They had uncovered the largest Velociraptor to date and it measured five-and-a-half-feet tall, just like ours. So we designed it, we built it, and then they discovered it. That still boggles my mind." Spielberg's name was briefly considered for naming of the new dinosaur in exchange for funding of field work, but no agreement was reached. '' Jurassic Park'' and its sequel '' The Lost World: Jurassic Park'' were released before the discovery that dromaeosaurs had feathers, so the ''Velociraptor'' in both films were depicted as scaled and featherless. For ''
Jurassic Park III ''Jurassic Park III'' is a 2001 American science fiction action film, written by Peter Buchman, Alexander Payne, and Jim Taylor and directed by Joe Johnston. It is the third installment in the ''Jurassic Park'' franchise and the final fi ...
,'' the male ''Velociraptor'' was given quill-like structures along the back of the head and neck, but these structures do not resemble the feathers that ''Velociraptor'' would have had in reality due to reasons of continuity. The '' Jurassic World'' sequel trilogy ignored the feathers of ''Velociraptor'', adhering to the designs from ''Jurassic Park''. However, the dromaeosaur ''
Pyroraptor ''Pyroraptor'' (meaning "fire thief") is an extinct genus of paravian dinosaur, probably a dromaeosaurid or unenlagiid (considering that unenlagiids are a separate family), from the Late Cretaceous Ibero-Armorican island, of what is now souther ...
'' was feathered for '' Jurassic World Dominion'', along with other changes such as stiffening the tail to account for ossified tendons and de-pronating the hands.


See also

*
Timeline of dromaeosaurid research This timeline of dromaeosaurid research is a chronological listing of events in the history of paleontology focused on the dromaeosaurids, a group of sickle-clawed, bird-like theropod dinosaurs including animals like ''Velociraptor''. Since the ...
* Fighting Dinosaurs


References


External links

* * * *
3D skull model of ''Velociraptor mongoliensis''
at
Sketchfab Sketchfab is a 3D modeling platform website to publish, share, discover, buy and sell 3D, VR and AR content. It provides a viewer based on the WebGL and WebXR technologies that allows users to display 3D models on the web, to be viewed on ...

Skeletal reconstruction of ''Velociraptor mongoliensis''
at Dr. Scott Hartman's Skeletal Drawing

at American Museum of Natural History (
Wayback Machine The Wayback Machine is a digital archive of the World Wide Web founded by the Internet Archive, a nonprofit based in San Francisco, California. Created in 1996 and launched to the public in 2001, it allows the user to go "back in time" and see ...
) {{featured article Campanian genus first appearances Djadochta fauna Eudromaeosaurs Feathered dinosaurs Fossil taxa described in 1924 Late Cretaceous dinosaurs of Asia Taxa named by Henry Fairfield Osborn