Jurassic World Did Velociraptors Dirty
TLDRThe video script from Paleologic hosted by Talia Lowi-Merri debunks common misconceptions about the Velociraptor, a dinosaur often misrepresented in popular culture. Contrary to Hollywood's portrayal, Velociraptors were relatively small, about the size of a turkey, with a height similar to a capybara and weighed around 7 kg. These theropods had hollow bones like birds and were likely covered in feathers, with short forelimbs that resembled wings. They walked on two toes, with the third toe held up to keep its large sickle-like claw sharp. Velociraptors were fast, bipedal carnivores with sharp, serrated teeth and a keen sense of smell, capable of speeds up to 40km/h. They were primarily solitary hunters, feeding on small prey and not known to hunt in packs. The first Velociraptor fossil was discovered in the Gobi Desert in 1923. Interestingly, the Jurassic Park franchise's depiction of Velociraptors was actually based on their larger cousin, Deinonychus, which was also a theropod but significantly heavier and larger. The video humorously points out that despite the inaccuracies, the dramatic name 'Velociraptor' was chosen for its appeal, despite Deinonychus meaning 'terrifying claw', which could have been more dramatic.
Takeaways
- 🦖 Hollywood's portrayal of Velociraptors is largely incorrect, often exaggerating their size and behavior.
- 🦜 Velociraptors were about the size of a turkey, with a height similar to the world's largest rodent, the capybara.
- 🦶 Theropods, including Velociraptors, had hollow bones and walked with only two toes on the ground, with the third claw held up.
- 🔪 Velociraptors likely used their large talons for stabbing and clutching prey, rather than disemboweling.
- 🐦 Birds evolved from theropods, and Velociraptors were likely covered in feathers, with forelimbs resembling wings.
- 🌡️ A recent study suggests that some dinosaurs, like theropods, were warm-blooded, needing feathers for warmth.
- 🏃♂️ Velociraptors were fast, capable of reaching speeds close to 40km/h, which is faster than the average human.
- 🦷 They had sharp, serrated teeth and a keen sense of smell, which they used for tracking down small prey.
- 🥩 Unlike the Jurassic Park depiction, Velociraptors likely did not hunt human-sized prey.
- 🦴 The first known Velociraptor fossil was discovered in the Gobi Desert of Mongolia.
- 🎥 The dinosaurs in the Jurassic Park franchise are actually based on the Velociraptor's larger cousin, Deinonychus.
Q & A
What is the common misconception about the size of Velociraptors perpetuated by Hollywood?
-The common misconception is that Velociraptors were large, pack-hunting dinosaurs that could take down human-sized prey. In reality, they were about the size of a turkey.
When did Velociraptors live and in what region?
-Velociraptors lived in the late Cretaceous period, between 90 and 70 million years ago, and were found in Central and Eastern Asia.
What is the actual size of a Velociraptor?
-Velociraptors were about half a meter tall and weighed around 7 kg, with most of their 2-meter length attributed to their long tails.
How did Velociraptors' skeletal structure compare to modern birds?
-Velociraptors, like other theropods, had hollow bones similar to those of modern birds, which made them lightweight.
What was unique about the way Velociraptors walked?
-Unlike other theropods, Velociraptors walked with only two toes on the ground, holding the third toe with its large claw off the ground.
What were the likely uses of the large claws on Velociraptors' feet?
-Initially thought for disemboweling prey, it is now believed that Velociraptors used their talons for stabbing and clutching prey, similar to an eagle.
How did Velociraptors' size compare to other theropods?
-Theropods varied greatly in size, from the crow-sized Microraptor to the massive 6-ton Tyrannosaurus Rex. Velociraptors were on the smaller end of this spectrum.
Why were feathers likely present on Velociraptors?
-Feathers on Velociraptors likely served multiple purposes, including mating displays, brooding eggs, and most importantly, for thermoregulation as they were probably warm-blooded.
What are some bird-like characteristics of Velociraptors?
-Velociraptors had swivel-jointed wrists, hinged ankles, and even wishbones, which are features they share with modern birds.
How fast could Velociraptors run and what was their preferred prey?
-Velociraptors could run at speeds of nearly 40 km/h and their preferred prey consisted of small animals like amphibians, mammals, and small dinosaurs.
What was the name of the first known Velociraptor species discovered?
-The first known Velociraptor species is called Velociraptor mongoliensis, discovered in the Gobi Desert of Mongolia in 1923.
Why were the dinosaurs in the Jurassic Park franchise not actually Velociraptors?
-The dinosaurs portrayed in the Jurassic Park franchise were based on Velociraptors' larger cousin, Deinonychus, which was more than 3 meters long and weighed over 70 kg.
What does the name Deinonychus mean and why was it not used in Jurassic Park?
-Deinonychus means 'terrifying claw' in Greek. It was not used in Jurassic Park because the author, Michael Crichton, thought 'Velociraptor' sounded more dramatic.
Outlines
🦖 Misunderstood Velociraptor: Hollywood vs. Reality
The first paragraph of the script debunks common misconceptions about the Velociraptor, largely influenced by Hollywood portrayals. Talia Lowi-Merri, the host of Paleologic, introduces the topic and aims to correct these myths. Velociraptors were small, about the size of a turkey, and not pack hunters as depicted in Jurassic Park. They were theropods with hollow bones, similar to birds, and likely covered in feathers. Their forelimbs were short and wing-like, with quill knobs, suggesting a role in body warmth, mating displays, or brooding. Theropods varied greatly in size, from the crow-sized Microraptor to the massive Tyrannosaurus Rex. Velociraptors walked on two toes, with the third toe's large claw held up to maintain its sharpness, primarily used for stabbing and clutching prey. They had a keen sense of smell and were fast, reaching speeds up to 40km/h, and likely fed on small prey. The name 'Velociraptor' translates to 'quick plunderer' in Latin.
🏺 Discoveries and Distinctions: Velociraptor Fossils and their Cousins
The second paragraph delves into the discovery and characteristics of the Velociraptor, including a famous fossil known as 'Fighting Dinosaurs,' which shows a Velociraptor engaged with a protoceratops. Various theories attempt to explain the preservation of this struggle. The paragraph also clarifies that the dinosaurs portrayed in Jurassic Park were not Velociraptors but their larger cousins, Deinonychus. Deinonychus was a larger, heavier, and more aggressive dinosaur, but like Velociraptors, it was also likely feathered. A study of Deinonychus' teeth suggests they did not hunt in packs, contrary to the film's depiction. The script ends with a reflection on the dramatic appeal of the name 'Velociraptor' chosen by Michael Crichton for the Jurassic Park franchise, despite Deinonychus having a more dramatic meaning, 'terrifying claw' in Greek. The host invites viewers to comment on what topic they would like to explore next and encourages subscription for weekly videos.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Velociraptor
💡Theropod
💡Feathers
💡Bipedal
💡Sickle-Like Claws
💡Deinonychus
💡Hollow Bones
💡Misunderstood
💡Fighting Dinosaurs
💡Central and Eastern Asia
💡Quill Knobs
Highlights
Common perceptions of the Velociraptor, largely influenced by Hollywood, are often incorrect.
Velociraptors were much smaller than depicted in movies, only about the size of a turkey.
They had a 2-meter length, largely due to their long tails, and were half a meter tall.
Velociraptors weighed around 7 kg, similar to a hefty Shih Tzu.
As theropods, they had hollow bones like modern birds.
They walked on two toes, with the largest claw held off the ground to maintain its sharpness.
Velociraptors likely used their talons for stabbing and clutching prey.
Theropods, including Velociraptors, ranged significantly in size, from Microraptor to Tyrannosaurus Rex.
Velociraptors were more bird-like than lizard-like and likely had feathers.
Their forelimbs were short but wing-like, with quill knobs suggesting the presence of flight feathers.
Feathers on Velociraptors may have been used for mating displays, brooding, or warmth.
A recent study suggests that some dinosaurs, like theropods, were warm-blooded.
Velociraptors had swivel-jointed wrists, hinged ankles, and even wishbones.
They were fast, with speeds close to 40km/h, and had a keen sense of smell for tracking prey.
Velociraptors' preferred prey were small animals, not human-sized creatures.
Their name 'Velociraptor' translates to 'quick plunderer' in Latin.
The first known Velociraptor was discovered in the Gobi Desert of Mongolia.
A famous fossil, 'Fighting Dinosaurs', shows a Velociraptor battling a Protoceratops.
The dinosaurs portrayed in the Jurassic Park franchise are actually based on the Deinonychus, a larger cousin of the Velociraptor.
Deinonychus was a larger, heavier dinosaur that lived during the early Cretaceous period.
Contrary to the movies, recent studies indicate that Deinonychus did not hunt in packs.
The name Deinonychus translates to 'terrifying claw' in Greek, which could have been more dramatic for the Jurassic Park franchise.
Transcripts
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