Editing Velociraptor (section)

{{short description|Dromaeosaurid dinosaur genus from the Late Cretaceous}}
{{other uses}}
{{Featured article}}
{{Pp-semi-indef}}
{{Use American English|date=September 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2023}}
{{Automatic taxobox
| fossil_range = [[Late Cretaceous]], ([[Campanian]]) ~{{fossil range|75|71}}
| image = Velociraptor skeleton white background.jpg
| image_caption = Mounted ''V. mongoliensis'' cast at [[Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences]]
| display_parents = 2
| taxon = Velociraptor
| authority = [[Henry Fairfield Osborn|Osborn]], 1924
| type_species = {{extinct}}'''''Velociraptor mongoliensis'''''
| type_species_authority = Osborn, 1924
| subdivision_ranks = Other species
| subdivision =
* {{extinct}}'''''V.? osmolskae''''' <br /><small>[[Pascal Godefroit|Godefroit]] ''et al.'', 2008</small>
}}

'''''Velociraptor''''' ({{IPAc-en|v|ə|ˌ|l|ɒ|s|ɪ|ˈ|r|æ|p|t|ər|,_|v|ə|ˈ|l|ɒ|s|ɪ|r|æ|p|t|ər}};<ref>{{cite LPD|3 }}</ref> {{lit|swift thief}}) is a [[genus]] of small [[dromaeosaurid]] [[dinosaur]]s that lived in [[Asia]] during the [[Late Cretaceous]] epoch, about 75 million to 71 [[million years ago]]. Two species are currently recognized, although others have been assigned in the past. The [[type species]] is '''''V. mongoliensis''''', named and described in 1924. [[Fossil]]s of this species have been discovered in the [[Djadochta Formation]], [[Mongolia]]. A second species, '''''V. osmolskae''''', was named in 2008 for skull material from the [[Bayan Mandahu Formation]], [[China]].

Smaller than other dromaeosaurids like ''[[Deinonychus]]'' and ''[[Achillobator]]'', ''Velociraptor'' was about {{convert|1.5|-|2.07|m|ft|abbr=on}} long with a body mass around {{convert|14.1|-|19.7|kg|lb|abbr=on}}. It nevertheless shared many of the same [[anatomy|anatomical]] features. It was a [[biped]]al, [[feather]]ed [[carnivore]] with a long tail and an enlarged sickle-shaped [[claw]] on each hindfoot, which is thought to have been used to tackle and restrain [[Predation|prey]]. ''Velociraptor'' can be distinguished from other dromaeosaurids by its long and low [[skull]], 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 [[Velociraptors in Jurassic Park|prominent role]] in the ''[[Jurassic Park]]'' films. In reality, however, ''Velociraptor'' was roughly the size of a [[Turkey (bird)|turkey]], considerably smaller than the approximately {{convert|2|m|ft|abbr=on}} tall and {{convert|90|kg|lb|abbr=on}} reptiles seen in the novels and films (which were based on members of the related genus ''[[Deinonychus]]''). Today, ''Velociraptor'' is well known to [[paleontology|paleontologists]], with over a dozen described fossil skeletons. [[Fighting Dinosaurs|One particularly famous specimen]] preserves a ''Velociraptor'' locked in combat with a ''[[Protoceratops]]''.