Velociraptor

Jewel made entirely by hand by the Italian craftsman Gianmarco Fontana. Ring made of 925 Silver, which is part of the "ANIMAL'S HUGS" collection depicting a velociraptor.

Velociraptor (whose name means "fast thief" or "fast raptor") is an extinct genus of dromaeosaurid dinosaur that lived in the Upper Cretaceous period, about 75-71 million years ago (Campanian-Maastrichtian), in what is now the desert of the Gobi, Mongolia. The genus currently has two species, although more were recognized in the past: the type series is V. mongoliensis, whose fossils were discovered for the first time in Mongolia. A second species, V. osmolskae, was so named in 2008 based on skull fragments from Inner Mongolia, China.

Velociraptor was smaller than other dromaeosaurids such as Deinonychus and Achillobator. Nonetheless, it shared many of their anatomical traits, being a feathered bipedal carnivore with a long stiff tail, and with a sickle claw on each hind leg, believed to be used in hunting. It differed from other dromaeosaurids by its long, slender skull, with the muzzle turned up.

Velociraptor (commonly abbreviated to "raptor") is one of the dinosaur genres best known to the general public due to its prominent role in the Jurassic Park film series. However, in reality the Velociraptor was about the size of a turkey, considerably smaller than the 2 meter (7 ft) tall and 80 kg heavy reptiles seen in the movies. Velociraptor is also one of the best known dinosaurs to paleontologists, who have discovered more than a dozen skeletons, more than any other dromaeosaurid.