Editing Velociraptor (section)

==History of discovery==
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|image1=Bayanzag (Flaming Cliffs).jpg
|caption1=Photograph of the [[Flaming Cliffs]], Mongolia

|image2=Velociraptor mongoliensis type skull and jaws.jpg
|caption2=Line diagram of ''V. mongoliensis'' holotype skull and associated manual ungual

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During an [[American Museum of Natural History]] expedition to the [[Flaming Cliffs]] (Bayn Dzak or Bayanzag) of the [[Djadochta Formation]], [[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]] 6515). In 1924, museum president [[Henry Fairfield Osborn]] designated the skull and claw (which he assumed to come from the hand) as the [[type specimen]] of his new genus, ''Velociraptor''. This name is derived from the [[Latin]] words {{lang|la|velox}} ('swift') and {{lang|la|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.<ref name=osborn1924a>{{cite journal|last1=Osborn|first1=H. F.|date=1924|title=Three new Theropoda, Protoceratops zone, central Mongolia|journal=American Museum Novitates|number=144|pages=1–12|hdl=2246/3223|hdl-access=free|oclc=40272928|url=https://digitallibrary.amnh.org/items/25d800cd-76d7-4ced-9dae-39e46f746def}}</ref> 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]]''),<ref name=osborn1924b>{{cite journal|last1=Osborn|first1=H. F.|date=1924|title=The discovery of an unknown continent|journal=Natural History|volume=24|issue=2|pages=133–149|url=https://archive.org/details/naturalhistory2416newy/page/132/mode/2up}}</ref> eventually changed into ''V. mongoliensis'' during its formal description.<ref name=osborn1924a/>

While North American teams were shut out of [[Mongolian People's Republic|communist Mongolia]] during the [[Cold War]], expeditions by [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] and [[Polish People's Republic|Polish]] scientists, in collaboration with Mongolian colleagues, recovered several more specimens of ''Velociraptor''. The most famous is part of the "[[Fighting Dinosaurs]]" specimen ([[Mongolian Paleontological Center|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]]''.<ref name=barsbold1983>{{cite journal |last=Barsbold |first=Rinchen |year=1983 |title=Carnivorous dinosaurs from the Cretaceous of Mongolia |journal=Transactions of the Joint Soviet-Mongolian Paleontological Expedition |url=https://www.geokniga.org/bookfiles/geokniga-hishchnye-dinozavry-mela-mongolii.pdf |language=Russian |volume=19 |pages=5–119 |archive-date=31 August 2021 |access-date=16 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210831103445/https://www.geokniga.org/bookfiles/geokniga-hishchnye-dinozavry-mela-mongolii.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=kjbarsbold1972>{{cite journal |last1=Kielan-Jaworowska |first1=Zofia |last2=Barsbold |first2=Rinchen |year=1972 |title=Narrative of the Polish-Mongolian Paleontological Expeditions |journal=Paleontologica Polonica |volume=27 |page=11 |url=http://www.palaeontologia.pan.pl/Archive/1972-27_5-13_1-2.pdf |archive-date=4 November 2023 |access-date=29 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231104085352/http://www.palaeontologia.pan.pl/Archive/1972-27_5-13_1-2.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=barsbold1974>{{cite journal |last=Barsbold |first=Rinchen |year=1974 |title=Saurornithoididae, a new family of theropod dinosaurs from Central Asia and North America |journal=Paleontologica Polonica |volume=30 |pages=5–22 |url=http://www.palaeontologia.pan.pl/Archive/1974_30_5-22_1-4.pdf |archive-date=24 September 2015 |access-date=16 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924063432/http://www.palaeontologia.pan.pl/Archive/1974_30_5-22_1-4.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> 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]] for a temporary exhibition.<ref name=amnh>{{cite web|url=http://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/fightingdinos/ex-fd.php |title=Fighting Dinosaurs: New Discoveries from Mongolia: Exhibition Highlights |author=American Museum of Natural History |date=c. 2000 |access-date=20 August 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101123223227/http://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/fightingdinos/ex-fd.php |archive-date=23 November 2010 }}</ref>

Between 1988 and 1990, a joint [[China|Chinese]]-[[Canadians|Canadian]] team discovered ''Velociraptor'' remains in northern China.<ref name=jerzykiewiczetal1993>{{cite journal |doi=10.1139/e93-190 |last1=Jerzykiewicz |first1=Tomasz |author-link2=Phil Currie |last2=Currie |first2=Philip J. |last3=Eberth |first3=David A. |last4=Johnston |first4=P.A. |last5=Koster |first5=E.H. |last6=Zheng |first6=J.-J. |year=1993 |title=Djadokhta Formation correlative strata in Chinese Inner Mongolia: an overview of the stratigraphy, sedimentary geology, and paleontology and comparisons with the type locality in the pre-Altai Gobi |journal=Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences |volume=30 |pages=2180–2195 |issue=10 |bibcode=1993CaJES..30.2180J }}</ref> 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.<ref name=norellmakovicky1999/><ref name=norellmakovicky1997>{{cite journal |last1=Norell |first1=Mark A. |last2=Makovicky |first2=Peter J. |year=1997 |title=Important features of the dromaeosaur skeleton: information from a new specimen |journal=American Museum Novitates |issue=3215 |pages=1–28 |hdl=2246/3557}}</ref> 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]] character [[Ichabod Crane]]).<ref name="novacek1996">Novacek, Michael J. (1996). ''Dinosaurs of the Flaming Cliffs''. New York: Anchor Books. {{ISBN|0-385-47774-0}}.</ref> While Norell and Makovicky provisionally considered it a specimen of ''Velociraptor mongoliensis'',<ref name=norellmakovicky1999/> it was named as a new species ''[[Shri devi]]'' in 2021.<ref name="turner2021">{{cite journal |last1=Turner |first1=A.H. |last2=Montanari |first2=S. |last3=Norell |first3=M.A. |year=2021 |title=A New Dromaeosaurid from the Late Cretaceous Khulsan Locality of Mongolia |journal=American Museum Novitates |issue=3965 |pages=1–48 |doi=10.1206/3965.1|s2cid=231597229 |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/290018 }}</ref>

In 1999, [[Rinchen Barsbold]] and [[Halszka Osmólska]] reported a juvenile ''Velociraptor'' specimen (GIN or IGM 100/2000), represented by a complete skeleton including the skull of a young individual. It was found at the Tugriken Shireh locality of the Djadochta Formation during the context of the Mongolian-Japanese Palaeontological Expeditions. The coauthors stated that detailed descriptions of this and other specimens would be published at a later date.<ref name=barsboldosmolska1999/>

===Additional species===
[[File:Velociraptorine skulls.png|thumb|[[Velociraptorine]] skulls, B, D, E are ''V. mongoliensis'', C is ''V'' sp., and F is ''V. osmolskae'' (known parts in gray)]]
[[Maxilla]]e and a [[lacrimal bone|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]] in 1999 by the Sino-Belgian Dinosaur Expeditions were found to pertain to ''Velociraptor'', but not to the type species ''V. mongoliensis''. [[Pascal Godefroit]] and colleagues named these bones ''V. osmolskae'' (for Polish paleontologist [[Halszka Osmólska]]) in 2008.<ref name=PGetal2008>{{cite journal |last1=Godefroit |first1=Pascal |last2=Currie |first2=Philip J. |last3=Li |first3=Hong |last4=Shang |first4=Chang Yong |last5=Dong |first5=Zhi-ming |year=2008 |title=A new species of ''Velociraptor'' (Dinosauria: Dromaeosauridae) from the Upper Cretaceous of northern China |journal=Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology |volume=28 |issue=2 |pages=432–438 |doi=10.1671/0272-4634(2008)28[432:ANSOVD]2.0.CO;2|s2cid=129414074 }}</ref> 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 [[Paraphyly|paraphyletic]]; thus, ''V. osmolskae'' might not actually belong to the genus ''Velociraptor'' and requires reassessment.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Evans|first1=D.C.|last2=Larson|first2=D.W.|last3=Currie|first3=P.J.|date=2013|title=A new dromaeosaurid (Dinosauria: Theropoda) with Asian affinities from the latest Cretaceous of North America|journal=Naturwissenschaften|volume=100|issue=11|pages=1041–9|doi=10.1007/s00114-013-1107-5|pmid=24248432|bibcode=2013NW....100.1041E|s2cid=14978813}}</ref>

Paleontologists Mark A. Norell and Peter J. Makovicky in 1997 described new and well 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.<ref name=norellmakovicky1997/> 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 (specifically at the "Volcano" sub-locality).<ref name=norellmakovicky1999/> 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.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Kundrát|first1=M.|date=2004|title=Two Morphotypes of the Velociraptor Neurocranium|type=Conference Abstract|journal=Journal of Morphology|volume=260|issue=3|page=305|doi=10.1002/jmor.10224|pmid=15124236 |s2cid=221869849 |url=https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/913/1/2004-Journal_of_Morphology.pdf}}</ref>
[[File:Velociraptor specimen IGM.jpg|thumb|''Velociraptor'' specimen MPC-D 100/982, possibly a new species]] 
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 considered distinct, was stated to mainly differ from other ''Velociraptor'' species in having a shallow maxilla morphology.<ref>{{cite thesis|type=Master Thesis|last1=Powers|first1=M. J.|date=2020|title=The Evolution of Snout Shape in Eudromaeosaurians and its Ecological Significance|publisher=Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta|doi=10.7939/r3-hz8e-5n76|url=https://era.library.ualberta.ca/items/c9c289c0-7cc4-42a0-ac53-9ffebf111d16/view/3c913f54-988b-40b8-8db2-f7ad9dee46e5/Powers_Mark_J_202006_MSc.pdf|archive-date=6 December 2022|access-date=14 June 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221206171944/https://era.library.ualberta.ca/items/c9c289c0-7cc4-42a0-ac53-9ffebf111d16/view/3c913f54-988b-40b8-8db2-f7ad9dee46e5/Powers_Mark_J_202006_MSc.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Powers|first1=M. A.|last2=Sullivan|first2=C.|last3=Currie|first3=P. J.|date=2020|title=Re-examining ratio based premaxillary and maxillary characters in Eudromaeosauria (Dinosauria: Theropoda): Divergent trends in snout morphology between Asian and North American taxa|journal=Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology|volume=547|number=109704|page=109704|bibcode=2020PPP...54709704P|doi=10.1016/j.palaeo.2020.109704|s2cid=216499705 }}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Powers|first1=M. J.|last2=Norell|first2=M A.|last3=Currie|first3=P. J.|date=2021|title=New shallow snouted species of Velociraptor sheds light on intraspecific variation in Velociraptor mongoliensis and possible niche partitioning between species|journal=Vertebrate Anatomy Morphology Palaeontology|volume=CSVP Online Abstracts|page=31|url=https://journals.library.ualberta.ca/vamp/index.php/VAMP/article/view/29374/21426/78423|archive-date=8 October 2022|access-date=14 June 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221008180709/https://journals.library.ualberta.ca/vamp/index.php/VAMP/article/view/29374/21426/78423|url-status=live}}</ref> The team in another 2021 abstract reinforced again the species-level separation, noting that additional differences can be found in the hindlimbs.<ref>{{cite conference|last1=Powers|first1=M. J.|last2=Norell|first2=M A.|last3=Currie|first3=P. J.|date=2021|title=Examination of morphological variation across Velociraptor mongoliensis specimens reveals a new species with possible ecomorphological variation in snout dimensions|publisher=The Society of Vertebrate Paleontology|conference=Virtual Meeting Conference|page=211|url=https://vertpaleo.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/SVP_2021_VirtualBook_final.pdf|access-date=14 June 2022|archive-date=19 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211019192436/https://vertpaleo.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/SVP_2021_VirtualBook_final.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>