NAME: Meaning - Velociraptor means "speedy thief"

Pronounced vuh-LOSS-ih-RAP-tor

Named By - Henry F. Osborn

When Named -1924

DIET: Carnivore (meat-eater)

SIZE: Length - 5 to 6 feet (1.5-2 m) long

Height - 3 ft (1 m) tall at the hips

Weight - 15 to 33 pounds (7 to 15 kg)

WHEN IT LIVED: Late Cretaceous period, about 85 - 80 million years ago

WHERE IT LIVED: Fossils have been found in Mongolia, Russia, and China [Asia].

FOSSILS: What has been Found - About a dozen Velociraptor fossils have been found, including one who died in a battle to the death with Protoceratops and two hatchling Velociraptor skulls that were found near an oviraptorid nest in Mongolia (the eggs may have been a meal).

Who Found the Fossils - Velociraptor was first found by H. F. Osborn.

Where - The first Velociraptor was found in Mongolia in 1924.

CLASSIFICATION: Kingdom Animalia (animals)

Animalia (animals) Phylum Chordata (having a hollow nerve chord ending in a brain)

Chordata (having a hollow nerve chord ending in a brain) Class Archosauria (diapsids with socket-set teeth, etc.)

Archosauria (diapsids with socket-set teeth, etc.) Order Saurischia - lizard-hipped dinosaurs

Saurischia - lizard-hipped dinosaurs Suborder Theropoda - bipedal carnivores

Theropoda - bipedal carnivores Tetanuran - advanced theropods

Infraorder Coelurosauria - lightly-built fast-running predators with hollow bones and large brains

Coelurosauria - lightly-built fast-running predators with hollow bones and large brains Superfamily Deinonychosauria - with a sickle-shaped claw on each foot

Deinonychosauria - with a sickle-shaped claw on each foot Family Velociraptorinae (Deinonychus, Saurornitholestes, Velociraptor)

Velociraptorinae (Deinonychus, Saurornitholestes, Velociraptor) Genus Velociraptor

Velociraptor Species V. mongoliensis (type species named by Osborn, 1924)

INTERESTING

FACTS: Velociraptor had a sharp, deadly, sickle-shaped, retractible, 3.5 inch (9 cm) long claw on each foot (located on each second toe). Velociraptor may have been able to run up to roughly 40 mph (60 km/hr) for short bursts. This predator may have hunted in packs.