Velociraptor was a speedy, bipedal carnivore. It 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, long thin legs, arms with three-fingered clawed hands and four-toed clawed feet. Its head was about 7 inches (18 cm) long.
WHEN VELOCIRAPTOR LIVED
Velociraptor lived in the late Cretaceous period, about 85 - 80 million years ago. Among the contemporaries of Velociraptor were Protoceratops, Tarbosaurus, Gallimimus, Oviraptor, Anatosaurus, Maiasaur, Tenatosaurus, and Saurolophus.
ENVIRONMENT
Velociraptor lived in a hot, dry environment, a desert-like environment with some streams.
BEHAVIOR
Velociraptor may have hunted in packs, attacking even very large animals. In 1971, fossils of a Velociraptor and a Protoceratops were found together. They died together; the Velociraptor was attacking the Protoceratops with its claws and the armored head of the Protoceratops had apparently pierced the chest of the Velociraptor.
Velociraptor, along with the other Dromaeosaurids, were the smartest dinosaurs, as calculated from their brain:body weight ratio. This made them very deadly predators.
INTELLIGENCE
Velociraptor was a dromaeosaurid, whose intelligence (as measured by its relative brain to body weight, or EQ) was the highest among the dinosaurs.
DIET
Velociraptor was a carnivore, a meat eater. It probably ate just about anything it could slash and tear apart. It may have hunted in packs. It ate Protoceratops (one was found fossilized with Velociraptor in a battle to the death) and probably ate many other plant-eaters, like hadrosaurs (duck-billed dinosaurs).
LOCOMOTION
Velociraptor walked on two slender legs; it was certainly among the fastest of the dinosaurs, considering its long legs and light weight. Velociraptor may have been able to run up to roughly 40 mph (60 km/hr) for short bursts. Velociraptor could probably jump also.
DISCOVERY OF FOSSILS
Velociraptor was 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 Protoceratops and two hatchling Velociraptor skulls that were found near an oviraptorid nest in Mongolia (they may have been a meal). Fossils have been found in Mongolia, Russia, and China.
CLASSIFICATION
Velociraptor belonged to the: