Velociraptors
Velociraptors
Velociraptors were first found and described by paleontologist H. F. Osborn in Mongolia in 1924. About a dozen Velociraptor fossils have been found, including one who died in a battle to the death with a Protoceratop and two hatchling Velociraptor skulls that were found near an oviraptorid nest in Mongolia. Fossils have been found in Mongolia, Russia and China. Velociraptors lived during the late Cretaceous period, about 85 – 80 million years ago. Among the contemporaries of Velociraptors were Protoceratops, Gallimimus, Oviraptor, Edmontosaurus, Maiasaura, and Saurolophus. Velociraptors lived in a hot, dry environment, desert-like environment that had some streams. They were a fast-running, two-legged (bipedal) dinosaur. This meat-eater had about 80 very sharp, curved teeth in a long, flat snout; some of the teeth were over an inch (2.5 cm) long. This predator had an s-shaped neck, arms with three-fingered clawed hands, long thin legs, and four-toed clawed feet. Velociraptors heads were about 7 inches (18 cm) long. They may have been able to run up to roughly 40 mph (60 km/hr) for short bursts. Velociraptors were about 5 to 6 feet long (1.5-2 m), and 3 feet tall (1 m). It may have weighed about 15 to 33 pounds (7 to 15 kg). It had a stiff tail that worked as a counterbalance and let it make very quick turns. A 3.5 inch (9 cm) long, sickle-like, retractible claw was on the middle toe of each foot. This claw was its main weapon, and could probably kill most of its prey easily. Velociraptors were dromaeosaurids, whose intelligence (as measured by its relative brain to body weight, or EQ) was the highest among the dinosaurs. Velociraptors, along with the other Dromaeosaurids, were the smartest dinosaurs, as calculated from their brain:body weight ratio. This made them very deadly predators. They may have hunted in packs, perhaps attacking even very large animals. They were carnivores, meat eaters, who probably ate anything it could slash and tear apart, mainly plant eaters like haudrosaurs and Protoceraptors. Velociraptors walked on two slender legs; it was certainly among the fastest of the dinosaurs, considering its long legs and light weight. They may have been able to run up to roughly 40 mph (60 km/hr) for short bursts and could probably also jump.