Classification

Domain: Eukarya
(eu- meaning true, -kary meaning nucleus or kernel)

Velociraptor mongoliensis is placed in the domain Eukarya because it had membrane-bound organelles and nuclei containing chromosomes in a nuclear envelope.

Kingdom: Animalia
(animale meaning animal)

Organisms classified in the kingdom Animalia, including Velociraptor mongoliensis, are multi-cellular, heterotrophic, and have a mobile stage. Some examples include the oragutan, tarantulas, and sea cucumbers.

Phylum: Chordata
(chorda- meaning cord)

Chordates have five fundamental characteristics: a single hollow nerve cord beneath the dorsal surface, the presence of a notochord, pharyngeal slits that connect pharynx with outside of animal (for Velociraptor the slits are present in the embryonic stages but disappear during development), the presence of muscles, and a postanal tail. Others in this group include the snow leopard, sea otter, and Komodo dragon.

Class: Archosauria
(arkhos- meaning ruler, -sauros meaning lizard)

Archosaurs are a class of diapsid amniotes characterized by having skulls with long, narrow snouts and teeth in sockets.  Diapsids have two large openings in the skull and amniotes have an amniotic egg.  Other members of this class include all extinct dinosaurs along with modern day birds and crocodilians. Another member of this class includes Maiasaura peeblesorum and Stegosaurus stenops.

Order: Saurischia
(-ischion meaning hip joint, sauros- meaning lizard)

Saurischian dinosaurs had a pelvis with a characteristic pubis that pointed downward and forward at an angle toward the ischium.  Other characteristics of members of this Order include grasping hands, asymmetrical fingers, and long neck that was mobile.  

 Family: Dromaeosauridae
(dromaeos- meaning swift running, -sauros meaning lizard)

Dromaeosaurs were small, theropod dinosaurs with sharp, sickle claws.  These carnivorous, bird-like dinosaurs were feathered, had forward-facing eyes, an S-shaped neck, and serrated teeth.

Genus: Velociraptor
(veloci- meaning swift, -raptor meaning to seize)

Velociraptor is a genus of dinosaur that lived during the late part of the Cretaceous Period.  Velociraptor had a skull with a concave upper surface and convex lower surface.  Other characteristics of this genus include three claws with middle being the longest and being bipedal, walking only on their third and fourth digits.  

Species: Velociraptor mongoliensis
(veloci- meaning swift, -raptor meaning to seize, -lien meaning to bind, mongo- referring to Mongolia)

Fossils of Velociraptor mongoliensis have been found in Mongolia.  This website will go into detail about the habitat, form and function, life cycle, interactions, and much more of Velociraptor mongoliensis.  


Here, let's take a look at a couple of phylogenetic trees in order to see how Velociraptor mongoliensis is related to other organisisms...







And to get even more specific, here is a tree that compares Velociraptor mongoliensis to others in its family...

To learn about where V. mongoliensis lived, try the habitat page!