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A flexible flock of feathered creatures run out from behind the meager bushes in search of food. No, these are not birds of distant days, but highly developed dinosaurs of the end of the Mesozoic. Latin name translates as a fast predator. Thanks to the developed brain, together they are able to cope even with a large herbivore. For each case, a tactic has been prepared, worked out by a well-coordinated team. If you are not lucky, you will have to be content with lizards.
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Time and place of existence
Velociraptors existed at the end of the Cretaceous period about 75 - 71 million years ago. They were distributed on the territory of the modern Gobi Desert (Mongolia and northern China).
Picture of a Late Cretaceous landscape by Chris Butler.
Types and history of discovery
Now there are two types: Velociraptor mongoliensis(typical) and Velociraptor osmolskae. The first was described by Henry Osborne back in 1924, based on the remains discovered on August 11, 1923 by Peter Kaizen in Mongolian desert Gobi. It is noteworthy that the purpose of that expedition of the American Museum of Natural History was to discover any traces of ancient people. Instead, they found an incredible treasure - entire deposits of various types of dinosaurs, including velociraptors.The second species was described only a few years ago (2008) thanks to the study of fossils (in particular, the skull of an adult) mined in the Chinese part of the desert back in 1999. Until then, gathering dust on a shelf. This shows how important research sometimes stagnates or simply freezes.
body structure
Velociraptor's body length reached 2 meters. The height is up to 60 centimeters. Velociraptor weighed up to 15 kilograms. The tail was about half the length of the body.
In general, the family of dromaeosaurids combines genera of medium size. A certain balance between strength and agility, while quite intelligent. Velociraptor certainly stands out from the general idea, as it was much more elegant than older brothers.
The jaws were unusually elongated, and the skull was flattened. The head is only 25 centimeters in size, but it was equipped with sharp, backward-curved teeth (a standard sign of an active predator, which allowed it to hold prey tightly). In total there were 26-28 on the lower and the same number on the upper jaw.
The body was either partially or almost completely covered with feathers. It is unlikely that it was exclusively a "clothes item" used in mating games. It is possible that Velociraptor needed to maintain a constant body temperature, and the feather cover partly contributed to this.
Velociraptor skeleton
The photo shows an exhibit of Velociraptor mongoliensis from the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences (Brussels).
We also bring to your attention a skull from the Museum of Natural History, which is located in the Norwegian city of Oslo.
Nutrition and lifestyle
Surely today's bare desert, where the velociraptor was discovered, was more picturesque in those days. In any case, there was enough vegetation for herds of herbivorous lizards to survive there. They were the main target for surprise raids. As a figurative example, one can cite the hunt of the united wolves for a large hoofed animal.Video
Excerpt from documentary film"The Truth About Killer Dinosaurs" (excerpt hosted by a third party server: YouTube). A model of a feathered Velociraptor chasing a Protoceratops is shown.
- Class: Reptilia = Reptiles or Reptiles
- Subclass: Archosauria = Archosaurs
- Superorder: Dinosauria † Owen, 1842 = Dinosaurs
- Order: Saurischia † Seeley, 1888 = Lizard-hipped dinosaurs
- Family: Dromaeosauridae † Matthew et Brown, 1922 = Dromaeosauridae or Raptors
Family: Dromaeosauridae † Matthew et Brown, 1922 = Dromaeosauridae or Raptors
The bodies of the raptors were covered with feathers, which they used for running, gliding, and, possibly, for a short flight. From the raptor print on the fossils, it can be judged that representatives of the microraptorid subfamily had wings on both the front and hind limbs.
Modern evidence suggests that all raptors are descended from a single flying ancestor, although some of them have secondarily lost the ability to fly. They are, as it were, a parallel branch of development with birds, but a dead end, since they did not leave descendants among modern birds. The pelvic bone in many species of raptors is long and strongly protrudes forward.
Meet the Velociraptor the kids found. A team of paleontologists say this new discovery is one of the largest raptors ever found. /website/
It is assumed that this giant raptor reached five meters in length. The found specimen is the largest with reliably confirmed feathers on the wings.
The discovery was made in the formation of the Hell Creek of the US state of South Dakota. This area is rich in fossils.
According to a statement from the University of Kansas, Robert De Palma, curator of vertebrate paleontology at the Museum natural history in Palm Beach and the lead author of this study, led an expedition to South Dakota, where they found this specimen. At the time, he was a graduate student doing research with former University of Kansas paleontology professor and curator Larry Martin (died 2014).
DePalma says: "This Cretaceous raptor is lightly built and appears to have been as agile as aggressive smaller theropods like Velociraptor."
Fossils have shown the presence of primaries on the forearms of the raptor.
These tubercles are "our first clear evidence of feathers on the forearms of a large dromaeosaurus," DePalma and his team wrote in the paper.
Evidence of bristle-like "proto-feathers" has been found on other large dinosaurs, but Dakotaraptor is by far the largest dinosaur discovered with true wings. However, De Palma wrote: "The size and proportions of Dakotaraptor almost certainly preclude the ability to fly."
Among the finds are his huge claws, which he tucked into the belt of a Velociraptor, whose claws measure 9.5 inches (24 cm) along the outer curve, making them one of the largest raptor claws known. Cause them hallmark remains a mystery, but some paleontologists have speculated that they could have been used to disembowel prey, or to cling to prey like climbing cats.
David Burnham, a University of Kansas paleontologist and co-author, wrote in a press release: "This new predatory dinosaur also fills the gap between the smaller theropods and the large tyrannosaurs that lived at this time."
This discovery now raises questions about where exactly these raptors were located in the food chain of the Hell Creek ecosystem. Prior to this discovery, the different growth stages of the T. rex were thought to cover every carnivore niche and out-compete every other large carnivore.
But it is possible that the Dakotaraptor avoided direct competition with the T-Rex by adopting a different hunting style. Young Ti-Rex have long legs, which are suitable for chasing prey over long distances. The structure of the Dakotaraptor suggests that he hunted by ambushing the victim and clinging to it with his claws.
Troy Oakes
Raptor is a dinosaur that scientists officially call Velociraptor, Microraptor, etc. Utahraptor is perhaps the largest of all. This bloodthirsty predator had simply terrifyingly huge claws on its feet. This raptor (dinosaur) lived during the early days. The first specimens of Utahraptors were discovered in 1975 by Jim Jensen in east-central Utah, near the city of Moab, but they were not given much attention. Later, a large claw from the foot was found by Karl Limoni. Radiometric dating has shown nearby fossils to be around 124 million years old.
One of the largest predators in the world
Raptor is a dinosaur that is truly the king of predators. The largest of them is considered to be Utahraptor from the genus of therapods, which included the largest known representatives of the family of dromaeosaurids. According to some estimates, the growth of the predator reached 7 meters in length, and the weight was no more than 500 kilograms. The animal had large curved claws, which is confirmed by the 22 cm long surviving specimen found.
There is convincing phylogenetic evidence that all members of the family possessed a feather cover. On big booty hunted in a pack. The raptor is a dinosaur that was very agile and could probably outrun most other dinosaurs. This nimble heavyweight could run fast, he had short but powerful legs, thanks to which he could jump out of an ambush in order to have time to cling to the victim's body with his powerful claws.
Dakotaraptor
The research team found which was given the name Dakotaraptor. The remains date back to 66 million years ago, that is, late Cretaceous period. These predators are known for being small, fast and agile dinosaurs. They had stiff tails and sharp claws that aided in hunting. Their height fluctuated within 5 meters, Dakotaraptor was among the largest and dangerous predators. There is no evidence of the fact of hunting in packs, the question remains open, and disputes continue on it.
Studies have shown that some members of the family had feathers that at least partially covered the body. Plumage large species remains a topic for discussion. Dakotaraptors do not possess the so-called feather pen on the surface of the forearm. These elements point to the place where feathers are attached to the bones of modern birds.
Paleontologists suggest that the presence of plumage took place, but it did not serve to fly, these species lost this ability during evolution. Before this discovery, it was believed that the tyrannosaurus rex was the most formidable predator, but the young Rex Dakotaraptor may well be a worthy competitor and be a formidable opponent.
Dinosaur raptor: appearance description
It was about 2 meters high, 6 meters long. Its skeletal structure resembles that of a modern turkey or chicken. The bones were hollow but strong. The head was rectangular in shape with powerful jaws with razor-sharp teeth. Utahraptor had long and relatively thin upper limbs ending in three clawed fingers, of which the middle one was the longest. A long tail used as a tool to maintain balance. The legs were short and reliable, with four toes on each foot.
The first toe was not involved anywhere, the second had a retractable claw that could grow up to 24 cm in length and was covered with a layer of keratin for protection. The third and fourth fingers were used for balance. Perhaps the dinosaur had like an eagle. His hearing was also excellent. Scientists recently discovered that predators can hear low-frequency sounds better than herbivores. They are able to smell prey from a kilometer away. Arms, legs, tail were covered with feathers, and the rest of the body was under dense fluff.
raptor weapon
The largest raptor is a dinosaur, which, in addition to size, had a lot of extreme dangerous species weapons. His first weapon was the brain. Utahraptor was a true master strategist. His second weapon is his claws, which he used to grab and rip his prey as well as get the best cut of meat. The third martial weapon was his second finger with a deadly claw, which he used to stab his victim through or through the spine, causing paralysis or instant death.
The sharp teeth in its jaw were a weapon used to tear and eat prey. The decisive role in the process of hunting belonged to the tail, used for balance during the pursuit of prey. The predator menu was not complicated, as a rule, they hunted everything that was available to them. Due to the fact that their habitats were characterized by an arid climate, the animals had to drink large amounts of fresh water.
Varieties of raptors
What are the types of raptors - dinosaurs belonging to the family of dromaeosaurids?
Deinonychus, whose name translates as "terrible claws". Fossils of this predator were found in America, according to approximate data, their age is 110 million years. This is a medium-sized animal, whose growth did not exceed 3 meters.
Velociraptor("fast thief"). These predators were very small in size, the size of a modern turkey.
Also distinguished are: utahraptor ("thief from Utah"), microraptor ("little thief"), pyroraptor ("fire thief"), dromaeosaurus ("running lizard"). Austroraptor ("southern thief") was similar in size to Utahraptor.
Sinornithosaurus (Chinese bird lizard) and rachonavis resembled birds rather than dinosaurs in their appearance.
The dinosaur velociraptor, which in Latin means a fast hunter, inhabited the planet in the late Cretaceous period. For the first time, his skeleton was excavated in 1924, on the territory of Mongolia. Subsequent finds were found in northern China.
On this moment it is considered one of the most ferocious predators ever to inhabit the Earth.
Appearance of Velociraptor
Despite its ferocity, Velociraptor was small in size. Its length was a little more than 1.5 meters, and its body weight was about 15 kg. Perhaps it was the small size that gave additional mobility to this carnivorous predator, and the long hind two-toed legs allowed it to develop great speed.
The head was somewhat flattened, and the jaws were elongated and slightly bent upwards.
The tail was long and stiff, you could even say that it was elastic, which helped the velociraptor to perform additional maneuvers at high speed.
Its jaw was full of sharp teeth, which, together with sharp claws, ensured success in hunting. And the size of his brain, which, it should be noted, is much larger than that of his closest relatives, indicates that he was not only fast, but also an intelligent hunter, and perhaps even cunning.
Velociraptor lifestyle and habits
Researchers believe that Velociraptor usually hunted alone and less often in small groups. At the same time, the predator planned a prey for itself in advance, and then pounced on it. If she tried to hide, then the theropod overtook her without any problems. But if she tried to defend herself, then the predator, apparently, retreated, fearing to be hit by a powerful head or tail, and took up a waiting position.
As soon as the opportunity was given, he again attacked the victim, most likely, attacking her with his whole body and trying to grab his teeth and claws precisely in the neck. And, as a rule, such wounds were fatal, so the main arteries and trachea of the animal were damaged, which led to the death of the victim, after which the velociraptor began to tear it apart. For this it used sharp teeth and claws, and at that time he kept his balance, standing on one leg.
This type of dinosaur gained particular popularity after the release of the film "Park jurassic”, where, in their image and likeness, Deinonychus, which are the closest relatives of Velociraptors, were described and shown.
