Whilst on a recent visit to the Manchester Museum team members at Everything Dinosaur took the opportunity to admire the life-size Velociraptor replica on display.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

A Life-size Velociraptor Replica on Display

The life-size Velociraptor replica has been on display for several years. It has a shaggy coat of feathers and a long tail. The tail ends in a plume. Whilst speculative, the plume suggests that the tail played a role in visual communication.

The colouration is certainly striking and reflects the markings and plumage seen in some extant birds.

Those famous second toe claws are raised, and this small dinosaur is depicted as if it were running. Perhaps it is chasing down a small lizard or some other unfortunate prey.

The head shows the delicate lower jaw, small teeth and a short tongue located towards the rear of the mouth. The tongue length is also speculative but reflects the views of many palaeontologists.

The eye has been given a vertical pupil.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

A Vertical Pupil

The pupil’s function is to regulate the amount of light that enters the eye by constricting (closing) or dilating (opening) the pupil. Vertical pupils are associated with small, ambush hunters such as cats. They help these hunters see in poor light and also assist them in judging the distance between themselves and potential prey.

Velociraptor is thought to have been an agile hunter. The model above is a 1:18 scale Velociraptor mongoliensis replica from the Beasts of the Mesozoic range.

To view this range of articulated prehistoric animal figures: Beasts of the Mesozoic Prehistoric Animal Models.

A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur commented:

“We always say hello to the life-size Velociraptor replica. It is a very beautiful figure and helps to demonstrate the actual size of this lithe theropod. The Velociraptor forms part of a display that highlights the link between dinosaurs and birds.”

Visit the Everything Dinosaur website: Everything Dinosaur.