Dinosaur: Velociraptor

Introduction:

Velociraptor. The infamous dinosaur that terrorizes the human characters in any dinosaur films and wildly popularized by the film series, Jurassic Park and Jurassic World. The dinosaur was excellently utilized by the director, Steven Spielberg in the first 2 films and has been in every single Jurassic media as a ruthless, human-sized carnivore, hunting down with its high-speed running and tearing through anything with its sharp sickle claw and razor sharp teeth. Does it need any more of an introduction for this dinosaur? I think its popularity speaks volumes if I do say so myself but I cannot help but make a little introduction for this little dinosaur with a big presence.

The Velociraptor, meaning ‘Swift Thief‘, is a dromaeosauridae dinosaur which includes the ‘raptor‘ species of dinosaurs. Velociraptor is probably one of the most well-studied, understood and researched dinosaur in the world and why not, the fossil finds are excellent and full skeletons were found as well. It lived around 75 to 71 million years ago and sorry to say but it did not live with Tyrannosaurus or even in the same place as the two Velociraptor species, mongoliensis and osmolskae, were found in Mongolia and China of the Asia continent, not the USA.

The ‘Velociraptor’ you might be thinking about which was found in USA are a whole different species and there are more dromaeosauridae in USA which I will explore more in later dedicated posts. Now that you know slightly more about this dinosaur, let’s dig deeper into the sands of time to learn more about this fellow.

Discovery:

Most would think Velociraptor was found in USA due to the scene in Jurassic Park where a skeleton of a supposed ‘Velociraptor‘ is dug up in Montana but that is completely wrong. To make it clear, the skeleton was of a Deinonychus antirrhopus and the novel writer for Jurassic Park, Michael Crichton, liked the name ‘Velociraptor‘ more because it sounded a lot cooler and coincidentally creating a new, fictional Velociraptor named Velociraptor antirrhopus.

I do believe this should make it clear that the real Velociraptor and the film Velociraptor are not the same. It is quite hard to distinguish this difference in the minds of people as most of the time, the film version is showcased most of the time in many entertainment media but I hope to make this clear among the audiences.

Velociraptor was first discovered in the Flaming Cliffs of the Djadochta Formation of the Gobi Desert in Mongolia on 11 August 1923 by Peter Kaisen in an expedition led by the American Museum of Natural History. The fossil was a crushed yet complete skull and one sickle claw. The first find was incredible with the discovery of a complete skull is very rare but makes the work for paleontologists much easier.

After that, American paleontologists were not able to enter communist Mongolia during the Cold War but expeditions by Soviet and Polish paleontologists found one of the most important, complete and extraordinary fossil which was a full skeleton of a Velociraptor fighting against a Protoceratops. Finding 2 amazingly preserved skeletons of dinosaurs dating back so many millions of years while also showcasing a daily life action among the dinosaurs is beyond extraordinary. These are the kinds of fossils paleontologists dream about. This fossil is a national treasure of Mongolia was given as a loan to AMNH for temporary exhibition and research.

Since then, many collaborative expeditions found more finds of Velociraptor as well as discovering more new species of ‘raptors’ in Mongolia and Northern China. They had also found what was thought to be a regular Velociraptor but turned out to be a new species called Shri devi in 2021.

Biology:

The biology of Velociraptor is very different than the entertainment media showcasing it. It is not quite big either, more of a Shiba Inu size but a lot longer though. The adult Velociraptor measure up to 1.5 – 2.07 m (4.9 – 6.8 ft) long, approximately 0.5 m (1.6 ft) high at the hips, and weighing about 14.1–19.7 kg (31 – 43 lb). The snout is slim and narrow with sharp teeth for grabbing any unfortunate grubs or lizards.

The hand bones showed evidences of quill knobs even though not many fossils showed feather impressions but similar ‘raptor’ dinosaurs shows feather impression so it makes logical sense for Velociraptors to have feathers. Then they got the thin legs with the sickle claws for hunting a big prey like a Protoceratops even though it may not look big but it was to Velociraptors. And finally, a long stiff tail that could help in stabilizing the body movements with a fan of feathers at the end.

One more thing, the hands of the Velociraptors and all other two-legged dinosaurs, they are always in a clapping position and not in any other positions because that would break their wrists. This is how science works, theories once thought truth turned out to be dated with the help of more research.

Velociraptors would live in a desert environment and this is where the feathers would come in handy as during the hot days, it would reflect the heat and keep them cool while at chilly nights, the feathers would keep them warm by not letting the heat escape from the body. They would also scavenge as well as hunt when needed. They were the most opportunistic, small-sized hunter in the Cretaceous Gobi Desert.

Velociraptor also has a subfamily named ‘Velociraptorinae‘ which includes the genus like the list.

• Adasaurus
• Linheraptor
• Tsaagan
• Deinonychus
• Balaur
• Shri
• Kuru
• Velociraptor

FAQ:

Is a Velociraptor a smart dinosaur?

Well, there is no proven way to measure a dinosaur’s intelligence but Velociraptor could have been smart. Considering how smart Crows and Ravens are, there is no doubt but unfortunately, we cannot learn much from only their bones. We cannot learn any of their behavior or interactions with other members of their own species or how they problem solve any problems and that is a tragedy that we cannot learn more definitively but reasonable speculation can be made. Just do not expect them to open doors like in the movies and also, I think they could make super nice pets considering their size, just make sure to feed them well.

Could a human survive Velociraptor?

Hmm…I am not quite sure what this question is about but I am probably guessing this is to deal with a Velociraptor attack and I would say, they probably have a good chance of surviving but will be gravely injured though, if it is a straight up, no question, attack and if it is a pack attack, then you would have to be super lucky to survive. This is all under the pretense of it being a real-Velociraptor attack, not the movie Velociraptors. But if it is the movie version, you are good as dead if you do not have plot armor with you. There is a reason why carnivores are dangerous because they are built for killing and hunting and for us, we are in the middle ground of being prey and being a hunter. If we have weapons, sure we can survive but it maybe hard if it is just one on one with only simple weapons but without weapons, then absolutely no way for humans to survive a carnivore attack.

How big were Velociraptors in real life?

You already know by now but a Velociraptor would have been, say it with me now, a size of a turkey. Yes, it may have been a size of a turkey but it was a far lengthier and built for an active movement, the head itself would have been larger than a turkey already and do not forget the sickle claws on its foot. It may have been the size of a turkey, but it would have been menace like an emu or cassowary. If only you could train them and keep them at peace, then probably could have been super calm, after all, animals in captivity are far calmer than the ones in the wild. I would love to have a Velociraptor as a pet but I would need a backyard for it to run around and probably make an obstacle course for it to have some fun.

Why did velociraptors go extinct?

Good question, because if you think about Velociraptor is a prime candidate for surviving the KPG Extinction Event or maybe even some other Dromaeosaurs did survive for a while after the event but animals do go extinct for many reasons. It could have been due to the environment or food supply or even ecosystem imbalance because Velociraptors went extinct way earlier than the Asteroid impact. So, the asteroid impact cannot be the reason for its’ extinction. It could have also been rising competition from newer and better evolved dinosaurs which have yet to be discovered. Fossil record is super spotty and there are gaps like a sourdough bread which is why we never have a clear picture and why there are so many discoveries happening today.

Why did Jurassic Park make velociraptors so big?

It is a very good question and the answer to it is super simple, to have a cool dinosaur on screen. The name itself, Velociraptor, sounds so cool and the name rolls off the tongue so easily. Try saying ‘Deinonychus’ as fast as ‘Velociraptor’! You can say the name faster and it has the meaning that matches, quick thief. Even then, Deinonychus is not as big as the Jurassic Park Velociraptor, and Utahraptor was only discovered during the filming of Jurassic Park. Utahraptor is also bigger than the Jurassic Park which does not match either with the movie counterpart. But having a dinosaur the same size of human is actually quite menacing, think of dinosaur that can literally be anywhere where a human can fit and hunt you down. Also, a plot reason could be that they genetically engineered to be menacing as possible for the park. Overall, they just wanted to make a cool and iconic dinosaur with a cool name and they did and this is where we are at!

Merchandise:

Now, there are a lot of merchandise for Velociraptor but the problem is that most of them suffer from the same trope of using the film version of Velociraptor and not the real Velociraptor which is why I would like to let you know that even though some of the merch are not the real Velociraptor, they are still a fictional Velociraptor and it just goes to show your love of Velociraptor to others and that is what is most important.

This is why I am sharing an indie action figure creator, David Silva’s Beast of Mesozoic Raptor Series. He has the best looking dinosaur action figures you can ever imagine. Not only are the figures articulated and have wonderful coloration but they are designed in a scientifically accurate way and that is why I would be grateful if you can help out in his venture and show that there are a lot of people who loves his works.

But if you do not want these and still want some other Velociraptor merch, I have got your back and check out some of the links below:

Media

There are a lot of Velociraptors in media and I mean a lot. The appearances of Velociraptor ranges from Comic Books to Mangas, Animes, Cartoons, Films and Documentaries and so much more. I could possibly not find all the media appearances of Velociraptor and I will list only the worthwhile media for you to indulge in but if there is a certain appearance that I have missed and should be on the list do let me know in the comments below.

But to start off with the latest and best representation would be Prehistoric Planet documentary series on Apple TV+. There is absolutely no reason why you should not watch this. It is an excellent documentary with the finest representation of the showcased species and best of all, no cutaways to paleontologists talking about dinosaurs, unlike most documentaries trying to save some of the budget.

Then for films, of course we have the Jurassic Park and Jurassic World series where the ‘Velociraptors’ are an integral part of the dinosaur roster. There has not been a single full-feature length film without one Velociraptor. I personally like the portrayal of Jurassic Park III Velociraptors because they had nice coloration even for different genders, also sported quills and they were not mindless monsters because in the film, they were only protecting their territory and their eggs. Jurassic World raptors are okay and the only surviving member of the raptor pack, Blue and Beta, are okay but they act like superhero characters in place of actual animals.

The Velociraptors did appear in a lot of Jurassic Park comic books but unfortunately, the books might not be available in regular markets but this is where Japan comes in with their latest manga series, called Dinosaur Sanctuary. Dinosaur Sanctuary is a story that takes place in a world where dinosaurs are created in a similar way as Jurassic Park but now there are dinosaur zoos all over the world and it has become a common thing and story goes over a rookie dinosaur handler getting hired at a struggling dinosaur zoo in Enoshima, Japan and she does her best to bring the zoo back on their feet. I cannot emphasize how important and how awesome this manga is.

This is THE MANGA for all dinosaur fans, its got calm moments, mysterious moments and thrilling moments and it does not showcase dinosaurs as some bloody monsters and shows them like actual living animals, with stress, happiness, boredom, love, hunger and terrified. I beg everyone to read this manga at least once. I have listed down the links to get all the manga volumes that are currently out. I hope you have fun.

Fooo!!! I have written a lot for this little dinosaur and it goes to show how popular it is. When I first realized what a real Velociraptor would be like, I did not take it too kindly like most people and I used to argue how science ruined monster dinosaurs but slowly, my belief changed and it is because of science this dinosaur is in our collective mind.

I slowly realized how important this little Velociraptor would have been in the ecosystem and if you look at it positively, you can have it as a pet. It is not too big and it looks so cute from certain angles. Just gotta make sure we treat the guys right and de-claw them for safety. Well, I hope you learned a lot from this and I hope you come back for more dinosaur blogs!!!

References:

• Wells, John C. (2008). Longman Pronunciation Dictionary (3 rd ed.). Longman. ISBN 978-1-4058-8118-0.
• Osborn, H. F. (1924). “Three new Theropoda, Protoceratops zone, central Mongolia”. American Museum Novitates (144): 1–12. hdl:2246/3223. OCLC 40272928.
• Osborn, H. F. (1924). “The discovery of an unknown continent”. Natural History. 24 (2): 133–149.
• Barsbold, Rinchen (1983). “Carnivorous dinosaurs from the Cretaceous of Mongolia” (PDF). Transactions of the Joint Soviet-Mongolian Paleontological Expedition (in Russian). 19: 5–119. Archived (PDF) from the original on 31 August 2021. Retrieved 16 September 2021.
• Kielan-Jaworowska, Zofia; Barsbold, Rinchen (1972). “Narrative of the Polish-Mongolian Paleontological Expeditions” (PDF). Paleontologica Polonica. 27: 11. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 November 2023. Retrieved 29 April 2022.
• Barsbold, Rinchen (1974). “Saurornithoididae, a new family of theropod dinosaurs from Central Asia and North America” (PDF). Paleontologica Polonica. 30: 5–22. Archived (PDF) from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 16 September 2021.
• American Museum of Natural History (c. 2000). “Fighting Dinosaurs: New Discoveries from Mongolia: Exhibition Highlights”. Archived from the original on 23 November 2010. Retrieved 20 August 2010.
• Jerzykiewicz, Tomasz; Currie, Philip J.; Eberth, David A.; Johnston, P.A.; Koster, E.H.; Zheng, J.-J. (1993). “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”. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences. 30 (10): 2180–2195. Bibcode:1993CaJES..30.2180J. doi:10.1139/e93-190.
• Norell, Mark A.; Makovicky, Peter J. (1999). “Important features of the dromaeosaurid skeleton II: information from newly collected specimens of Velociraptor mongoliensis“. American Museum Novitates (3282): 1–45. hdl:2246/3025.
• Norell, Mark A.; Makovicky, Peter J. (1997). “Important features of the dromaeosaur skeleton: information from a new specimen”. American Museum Novitates (3215): 1–28. hdl:2246/3557.
• Novacek, Michael J. (1996). Dinosaurs of the Flaming Cliffs. New York: Anchor Books. ISBN 0-385-47774-0.
• Turner, A.H.; Montanari, S.; Norell, M.A. (2021). “A New Dromaeosaurid from the Late Cretaceous Khulsan Locality of Mongolia”. American Museum Novitates (3965): 1–48. doi:10.1206/3965.1. S2CID 231597229.
• Barsbold, R.; Osmólska, H. (1999). “The skull of Velociraptor (Theropoda) from the Late Cretaceous of Mongolia” (PDF). Acta Palaeontologica Polonica. 44 (2): 189–219. Archived (PDF) from the original on 14 July 2022. Retrieved 28 July 2022.
• Godefroit, Pascal; Currie, Philip J.; Li, Hong; Shang, Chang Yong; Dong, Zhi-ming (2008). “A new species of Velociraptor (Dinosauria: Dromaeosauridae) from the Upper Cretaceous of northern China”. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 28 (2): 432–438. doi:10.1671/0272-4634(2008)28[432:ANSOVD]2.0.CO;2. S2CID 129414074.
• Evans, D.C.; Larson, D.W.; Currie, P.J. (2013). “A new dromaeosaurid (Dinosauria: Theropoda) with Asian affinities from the latest Cretaceous of North America”. Naturwissenschaften. 100 (11): 1041–9. Bibcode:2013NW….100.1041E. doi:10.1007/s00114-013-1107-5. PMID 24248432. S2CID 14978813.
• Kundrát, M. (2004). “Two Morphotypes of the Velociraptor Neurocranium” (PDF). Journal of Morphology (Conference Abstract). 260 (3): 305. doi:10.1002/jmor.10224. PMID 15124236. S2CID 221869849.
• Powers, M. J. (2020). The Evolution of Snout Shape in Eudromaeosaurians and its Ecological Significance (PDF) (Master Thesis). Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta. doi:10.7939/r3-hz8e-5n76. Archived (PDF) from the original on 6 December 2022. Retrieved 14 June 2022.
• Powers, M. A.; Sullivan, C.; Currie, P. J. (2020). “Re-examining ratio based premaxillary and maxillary characters in Eudromaeosauria (Dinosauria: Theropoda): Divergent trends in snout morphology between Asian and North American taxa”. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. 547 (109704): 109704. Bibcode:2020PPP…54709704P. doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2020.109704. S2CID 216499705.
• Powers, M. J.; Norell, M A.; Currie, P. J. (2021). “New shallow snouted species of Velociraptor sheds light on intraspecific variation in Velociraptor mongoliensis and possible niche partitioning between species”. Vertebrate Anatomy Morphology Palaeontology. CSVP Online Abstracts: 31. Archived from the original on 8 October 2022. Retrieved 14 June 2022.
• Powers, M. J.; Norell, M A.; Currie, P. J. (2021). Examination of morphological variation across Velociraptor mongoliensis specimens reveals a new species with possible ecomorphological variation in snout dimensions (PDF). Virtual Meeting Conference. The Society of Vertebrate Paleontology. p. 211. Archived (PDF) from the original on 19 October 2021. Retrieved 14 June 2022.
• Paul, G. S. (1988). “Birdlike Avetheropods”. Predatory Dinosaurs of the World: A Complete Illustrated Guide. New York: Simon & Schuster. p. 370. ISBN 978-0-671-61946-6.
• Turner, A.H.; Pol, D.; Clarke, J.A.; Erickson, G.M.; Norell, M.A. (2007). “A Basal Dromaeosaurid and Size Evolution Preceding Avian Flight”. Science. 317 (5843): 1378–1381. Bibcode:2007Sci…317.1378T. doi:10.1126/science.1144066. PMID 17823350.
  Supporting Online Material Archived 19 December 2021 at the Wayback Machine
• Campione, N. E.; Evans, D. C.; Brown, C. M.; Carrano, M. T. (2014). “Body mass estimation in non-avian bipeds using a theoretical conversion to quadruped stylopodial proportions”. Methods in Ecology and Evolution. 5 (9): 913–923. Bibcode:2014MEcEv…5..913C. doi:10.1111/2041-210X.12226. hdl:10088/25281.
• Campione, N. E.; Evans, D. C. (2020). “The accuracy and precision of body mass estimation in non-avian dinosaurs”. Biological Reviews. 95 (6): 1759–1797. doi:10.1111/brv.12638. PMID 32869488. S2CID 221404013.
  Supporting Information Archived 10 November 2020 at the Wayback Machine
• Turner, A. H.; Makovicky, P. J.; Norell, M. A. (2007). “Feather Quill Knobs in the Dinosaur Velociraptor” (PDF). Science. 317 (5845): 1721. Bibcode:2007Sci…317.1721T. doi:10.1126/science.1145076. PMID 17885130. S2CID 11610649. Archived (PDF) from the original on 30 November 2022. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
• Napoli, J. G.; Ruebenstahl, A. A.; Bhullar, B.-A. S.; Turner, A. H.; Norell, M. A. (2021). “A New Dromaeosaurid (Dinosauria: Coelurosauria) from Khulsan, Central Mongolia” (PDF). American Museum Novitates (3982): 1–47. doi:10.1206/3982.1. hdl:2246/7286. ISSN 0003-0082. S2CID 243849373. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 November 2021. Retrieved 28 August 2022.
• Wang, X.; Cau, A.; Guo, B.; Ma, F.; Qing, G.; Liu, Y. (2022). “Intestinal preservation in a birdlike dinosaur supports conservatism in digestive canal evolution among theropods”. Scientific Reports. 12 (19965): 19965. Bibcode:2022NatSR..1219965W. doi:10.1038/s41598-022-24602-x. PMC 9675785. PMID 36402874.
• Hone, D. W. E.; Tischlinger, H.; Xu, X.; Zhang, F. (2010). “The Extent of the Preserved Feathers on the Four-Winged Dinosaur Microraptor gui under Ultraviolet Light”. PLOS ONE. 5 (2): e9223. Bibcode:2010PLoSO…5.9223H. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0009223. PMC 2821398. PMID 20169153.
• Lü, J.; Brusatte, S.L. (2015). “A large, short-armed, winged dromaeosaurid (Dinosauria: Theropoda) from the Early Cretaceous of China and its implications for feather evolution”. Scientific Reports. 11775 (5): 11775. Bibcode:2015NatSR…511775L. doi:10.1038/srep11775. PMC 4504142. PMID 26181289.
• Sues, H.-D. (1977). “The skull of Velociraptor mongoliensis, a small Cretaceous theropod dinosaur from Mongolia”. Paläontologische Zeitschrift. 51 (3–4): 173–184. Bibcode:1977PalZ…51..173S. doi:10.1007/BF02986567. S2CID 128478862.
• Fowler, D.W.; Freedman, E.A.; Scannella, J.B.; Kambic, R.E. (2011). “The Predatory Ecology of Deinonychus and the Origin of Flapping in Birds”. PLOS ONE. 6 (12): e28964. Bibcode:2011PLoSO…628964F. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0028964. PMC 3237572. PMID 22194962.
• Currie, Philip J. (1995). “New information on the anatomy and relationships of Dromaeosaurus albertensis (Dinosauria: Theropoda)”. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 15 (3): 576–591. Bibcode:1995JVPal..15..576C. doi:10.1080/02724634.1995.10011250. Archived from the original on 17 November 2007.
• Norell, M. A.; Clark, J. M.; Turner, A. H.; Makovicky, P. J.; Barsbold, R.; Rowe, T. (2006). “A New Dromaeosaurid Theropod from Ukhaa Tolgod (Ömnögov, Mongolia)”. American Museum Novitates (3545): 1–51. doi:10.1206/0003-0082(2006)3545[1:ANDTFU]2.0.CO;2. hdl:2246/5823.
• Godefroit, Pascal; Cau, Andrea; Hu, Dong-Yu; Escuillié, François; Wu, Wenhao; Dyke, Gareth (2013). “A Jurassic avialan dinosaur from China resolves the early phylogenetic history of birds”. Nature. 498 (7454): 359–362. Bibcode:2013Natur.498..359G. doi:10.1038/nature12168. PMID 23719374. S2CID 4364892.
• DePalma, Robert A.; Burnham, David A.; Martin, Larry D.; Larson, Peter L.; Bakker, Robert T. (2015). “The First Giant Raptor (Theropoda: Dromaeosauridae) from the Hell Creek Formation”. Paleontological Contributions (14). doi:10.17161/paleo.1808.18764. hdl:1808/18764. Archived from the original on 6 November 2015. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
• Paul, Gregory S. (2002). Dinosaurs of the Air: The Evolution and Loss of Flight in Dinosaurs and Birds. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN 978-0-8018-6763-7.
• Norell, Mark A.; Makovicky, Peter J. (2004). “Dromaeosauridae”. In Weishampel, David B.; Dodson, Peter; Osmólska, Halszka (eds.). The Dinosauria (Second ed.). Berkeley: University of California Press. pp. 196–209. ISBN 978-0-520-24209-8.
• Currie, P. J.; Evans, D. C. (2019). “Cranial Anatomy of New Specimens of Saurornitholestes langstoni (Dinosauria, Theropoda, Dromaeosauridae) from the Dinosaur Park Formation (Campanian) of Alberta”. The Anatomical Record. 303 (4): 691–715. doi:10.1002/ar.24241. PMID 31497925. S2CID 202002676.
• Jasinski, S. E.; Sullivan, R. M.; Dodson, P. (2020). “New Dromaeosaurid Dinosaur (Theropoda, Dromaeosauridae) from New Mexico and Biodiversity of Dromaeosaurids at the end of the Cretaceous”. Scientific Reports. 10 (1): 5105. Bibcode:2020NatSR..10.5105J. doi:10.1038/s41598-020-61480-7. ISSN 2045-2322. PMC 7099077. PMID 32218481.
• King, J. Logan; Sipla, Justin S.; Georgi, Justin A.; Balanoff, Amy M.; Neenan, James M. (2020). “The endocranium and trophic ecology of Velociraptor mongoliensis”. Journal of Anatomy. 237 (5): 861–869. doi:10.1111/joa.13253. PMC 7542195. PMID 32648601.
• Powers, M. A.; Sullivan, C.; Currie, P. J. (2020). “Re-examining ratio based premaxillary and maxillary characters in Eudromaeosauria (Dinosauria: Theropoda): Divergent trends in snout morphology between Asian and North American taxa”. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. 547 (109704): 109704. Bibcode:2020PPP…54709704P. doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2020.109704. S2CID 216499705.
• Sakamoto, M. (2022). “Estimating bite force in extinct dinosaurs using phylogenetically predicted physiological cross-sectional areas of jaw adductor muscles”. PeerJ. 10: e13731. doi:10.7717/peerj.13731. PMC 9285543. PMID 35846881.
• Carpenter, Kenneth (1998). “Evidence of predatory behavior by theropod dinosaurs” (PDF). Gaia. 15: 135–144. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 July 2011.
• Schmitz, L.; Motani, R. (2011). “Nocturnality in Dinosaurs Inferred from Scleral Ring and Orbit Morphology”. Science. 332 (6030): 705–8. Bibcode:2011Sci…332..705S. doi:10.1126/science.1200043. PMID 21493820. S2CID 33253407.
• Ostrom, John H. (1969). Osteology of Deinonychus antirrhopus, an unusual theropod from the Lower Cretaceous of Montana. Vol. 30. pp. 1–165. doi:10.2307/j.ctvqc6gzx. S2CID 210733704.
• Manning, P. L.; Payne, D.; Pennicott, J.; Barrett, P. M.; Ennos, R. A. (2006). “Dinosaur killer claws or climbing crampons?”. Biology Letters. 2 (1): 110–112. doi:10.1098/rsbl.2005.0395. PMC 1617199. PMID 17148340.
• Maxwell, W. Desmond; Ostrom, John H. (1995). “Taphonomy and paleobiological implications of Tenontosaurus-Deinonychus associations”. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 15 (4): 707–712. Bibcode:1995JVPal..15..707M. doi:10.1080/02724634.1995.10011256. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007.
• Brinkman, Daniel L.; Cifelli, Richard L.; Czaplewski, Nicholas J. (1998). “First occurrence of Deinonychus antirrhopus (Dinosauria: Theropoda) in the Antlers Formation (Lower Cretaceous: Aptian-Albian) of Oklahoma” (PDF). Oklahoma Geological Survey Bulletin. 146: 1–27. Archived (PDF) from the original on 19 August 2018. Retrieved 21 August 2010.
• Li, Rihui; Lockley, M.G.; Makovicky, P.J.; Matsukawa, M.; Norell, M.A.; Harris, J.D.; Liu, M. (2007). “Behavioral and faunal implications of Early Cretaceous deinonychosaur trackways from China”. Die Naturwissenschaften. 95 (3): 185–191. Bibcode:2008NW…..95..185L. doi:10.1007/s00114-007-0310-7. PMID 17952398. S2CID 16380823.
• Switek, Brian (29 March 2011). “Dinosaurs behaving badly: Did velociraptors hunt in packs?”. The Guardian. Archived from the original on 25 May 2023. Retrieved 17 September 2020.
• Long, John, and Schouten, Peter. (2008). Feathered Dinosaurs: The Origin of Birds. Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-537266-3, p. 21.
• Hone, David; Choiniere, Jonah; Sullivan, Corwin; Xu, Xing; Pittman, Michael; Tan, Qingwei (2010). “New evidence for a trophic relationship between the dinosaurs Velociraptor and Protoceratops“. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. 291 (3–4): 488–492. Bibcode:2010PPP…291..488H. doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2010.03.028.
• Hone, D.; Tsuihiji, T.; Watabe, M.; Tsogtbaatr, K. (2012). “Pterosaurs as a food source for small dromaeosaurs”. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. 331–332: 27. Bibcode:2012PPP…331…27H. doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2012.02.021.
• Tse, Yuen Ting; Miller, Case Vincent; Pittman, Michael (2024). “Morphological disparity and structural performance of the dromaeosaurid skull informs ecology and evolutionary history”. BMC Ecology and Evolution. 24 (1): 39. Bibcode:2024BMCEE..24…39T. doi:10.1186/s12862-024-02222-5. PMC 11020771. PMID 38622512.
• Tada, S.; Tsuihiji, T.; Matsumoto, R.; Hanai, T.; Iwami, Y.; Tomita, N.; Sato, H.; Tsogtbaatar, K. (2023). “Evolutionary process toward avian-like cephalic thermoregulation system in Theropoda elucidated based on nasal structures”. Royal Society Open Science. 10 (4). 220997. Bibcode:2023RSOS…1020997T. doi:10.1098/rsos.220997. PMC 10090882. PMID 37063996.
• Norell, M. A.; Gaffney, E. S.; Dingus, L. (1995). Discovering Dinosaurs In the American Museum of Natural History. Knopf Inc. p. 43. ISBN 9780520225015.
• Molnar, R.E. (2001). “Theropod Paleopathology: A Literature Survey”. In Carpenter, Kenneth; Skrepnick, Michael William; Tanke, Darren H (eds.). Mesozoic Vertebrate Life. Indiana Univ. Press. pp. 337–363. ISBN 978-0-253-33907-2. OCLC 248649755.
• Nicholas R. Longrich; Philip J. Currie; Dong Zhi-Ming (2010). “A new oviraptorid (Dinosauria: Theropoda) from the Upper Cretaceous of Bayan Mandahu, Inner Mongolia”. Palaeontology. 53 (5): 945–960. Bibcode:2010Palgy..53..945L. doi:10.1111/j.1475-4983.2010.00968.x.
• Eberth, D. A. (1993). “Depositional environments and facies transitions of dinosaur-bearing Upper Cretaceous redbeds at Bayan Mandahu (Inner Mongolia, People’s Republic of China)”. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences. 30 (10): 2196–2213. Bibcode:1993CaJES..30.2196E. doi:10.1139/e93-191.
• Dashzeveg, D.; Dingus, L.; Loope, D. B.; Swisher III, C. C.; Dulam, T.; Sweeney, M. R. (2005). “New Stratigraphic Subdivision, Depositional Environment, and Age Estimate for the Upper Cretaceous Djadokhta Formation, Southern Ulan Nur Basin, Mongolia” (PDF). American Museum Novitates (3498): 1–31. doi:10.1206/0003-0082(2005)498[0001:NSSDEA]2.0.CO;2. hdl:2246/5667. S2CID 55836458. Archived (PDF) from the original on 1 January 2022. Retrieved 28 July 2022.
• Jerzykiewicz, T. (1997). “Djadokhta Formation”. In Currie, P. J.; Padian, K. (eds.). Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs. San Diego: Academic Press. pp. 188−191. ISBN 978-0-12-226810-6.
• Dingus, L.; Loope, D. B.; Dashzeveg, D.; Swisher III, C. C.; Minjin, C.; Novacek, M. J.; Norell, M. A. (2008). “The Geology of Ukhaa Tolgod (Djadokhta Formation, Upper Cretaceous, Nemegt Basin, Mongolia)”. American Museum Novitates (3616): 1–40. doi:10.1206/442.1. hdl:2246/5916. S2CID 129735494. Archived from the original on 5 August 2022. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
• Turner, A. H.; Pol, D.; Clarke, J. A.; Erickson, G. M.; Norell, M. A. (2007). “A Basal Dromaeosaurid and Size Evolution Preceding Avian Flight”. Science. 317 (5843): 1378–1381. Bibcode:2007Sci…317.1378T. doi:10.1126/science.1144066. PMID 17823350.
• Chinzorig, T.; Kobayashi, Y.; Tsogtbaatar, K.; Currie, P. J.; Watabe, M.; Barsbold, R. (2017). “First Ornithomimid (Theropoda, Ornithomimosauria) from the Upper Cretaceous Djadokhta Formation of Tögrögiin Shiree, Mongolia”. Scientific Reports. 7 (5835): 5835. Bibcode:2017NatSR…7.5835C. doi:10.1038/s41598-017-05272-6. PMC 5517598. PMID 28724887.
• Saneyoshi, M.; Watabe, M.; Suzuki, S.; Tsogtbaatar, K. (2011). “Trace fossils on dinosaur bones from Upper Cretaceous eolian deposits in Mongolia: Taphonomic interpretation of paleoecosystems in ancient desert environments”. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. 311 (1–2): 38–47. Bibcode:2011PPP…311…38S. doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2011.07.024. Archived from the original on 8 October 2022. Retrieved 28 July 2022.
• Crichton, M. (1990). Jurassic Park. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. pp. 117. ISBN 978-0-394-58816-2.
• Cummings, M. “Yale’s legacy in Jurassic World Archived 6 July 2017 at the Wayback Machine.” Yale News, 18 June 2015.
• Duncan, J. (2006). The Winston Effect. London: Titan Books. p. 175. ISBN 978-1-84576-365-7.
• Bakker, R.T. (1995). Raptor Red. New York: Bantam Books. p. 4. ISBN 978-0-553-57561-3.
• Adams, B. (15 June 1993). “Director Loses Utahraptor Name Game”. Deseret News. Archived from the original on 22 August 2022. Retrieved 21 August 2022.
• Dhar, M. (17 June 2013). “T. Rex at 20: How ‘Jurassic Park’ science has evolved”. The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 30 December 2023. Retrieved 21 August 2022.
• Polo, S. (10 June 2015). “Jurassic World explains its featherless dinos while poking fun at blockbusters”. Polygon. Archived from the original on 11 October 2022. Retrieved 21 August 2022.
• Katwala, A. (10 June 2022). “The Real Story Behind Jurassic World Dominion‘s Dino Feathers”. Wired. Archived from the original on 12 June 2022. Retrieved 21 August 2022.