Velociraptor Anatomy in 3D: Skeleton, Organs and the Feathered Hunter
The real Velociraptor was about the size of a turkey and covered in feathers, very different from the giant raptors in the films. In the 3D Dinosaur Anatomy simulator you can turn it around, look inside and study its fossil skeleton.
Explore in 3DThree ways to see Velociraptor
Full body
Fossil skeletonVelociraptor quick facts
| Lived | About 75 to 71 million years ago, Late Cretaceous |
|---|---|
| Length | About 2 m, including the tail |
| Weight | About 15 kg |
| Diet | Meat |
| Fossils found in | Mongolia and China |
The Velociraptor fossil skeleton
The Velociraptor skeleton is light and built for speed, with a long low skull, sharp curved teeth, grasping hands with three fingers and a long stiff tail. On each foot the second toe carried a large curved claw that was held up off the ground.
Inside Velociraptor
In the Inside view you can tap these labels on the 3D model:
- Brain
- Controls every move, sense and thought.
- Heart
- Pumps blood around the whole body, all day and night.
- Lungs
- Like birds, it probably had air sacs that kept fresh air flowing through its lungs.
- Intestines
- Long tubes that soak up food into the body.
Interesting facts about Velociraptor
- Small bumps on its forearm bones show where large feathers were attached.
- It had a big curved claw on the second toe of each foot.
- It was about the size of a turkey, much smaller than the raptors in films.
- A famous fossil from Mongolia shows a Velociraptor locked in a fight with a Protoceratops.
- Its long stiff tail helped it balance while running and turning.
Compare: Velociraptor vs T. rex: Real Sizes and the Movie Myth
More dinosaurs and prehistoric reptiles in 3D
Velociraptor anatomy questions
Did Velociraptor have feathers?
Yes. Quill knobs on its forearm bones, like those on modern birds, show it had feathers.
How big was a Velociraptor?
About 2 m long including the tail and about 15 kg, roughly the size of a turkey.
Where did Velociraptor live?
In what is now Mongolia and northern China, about 75 to 71 million years ago.
What was the big toe claw for?
It was probably used to pin down and hold struggling prey.
The 3D Dinosaur Anatomy simulator is made by Julian Neagu, a solo founder in London, as part of VisionVix Simulators. It is free to use in the browser on desktop and phone, with no sign-up.