While digging in a remote site in Africa, paleontologists discovered a collection of fossilized dinosaur bones. The bones were dated back to the Jurassic period, and have been confirmed to be from a dinosaur known as a velociraptor. Two paleontologists discuss the finding.
Paleontologist 1
Once the well-preserved bones are assembled it is clear that they are velociraptor bones from the Jurassic period. The bones are long in the arms, indicating that the velociraptor was definitely capable of flight. You can see that there are cuts within the arm/wing bones of this dinosaur, indicating that it was caught while in flight2. Perhaps it was attempting an escape from a more predatory dinosaur, such as Tyrannosaurus rex. It is obvious from the body structure of the velociraptor that it was an effective hunter and predator. It was most likely quick to swoop in on its prey and was more than able to carry the prey away on its own. The form and function of the velociraptor has been misunderstood until this important discovery1. The condition of these bones offers a clear picture of the way in which the velociraptor lived.
Paleontologist 2
Indeed, the velociraptor bones are in excellent condition. The long arm bones are indicative of the dinosaur's ability to scavenge prey and fend off larger predators. The cuts within the arm bones show that the velociraptor often stole its meals—the marks resemble defense wounds, perhaps from forcing other would-be scavengers away from the free meal4. The structure of the velociraptor's feet indicates that it was a fast runner and was able to maneuver well through the high trees and undergrowth. This would certainly have allowed the velociraptor to quickly escape predators and possibly arrive at a kill-site before other larger dinosaurs, such as Tyrannosaurus rex, descended upon the leftovers. The bones that were discovered answer many questions about the velociraptor, but they also bring up many new issues to consider.
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