Velociraptor mongoliensis was a small but deadly predator of the Late Cretaceous, about 75 million years ago. Unlike the scaly reptiles often portrayed in fiction, this raptor bore feathers, with a long stiffened tail for balance and a narrow, intelligent skull. It stood about 0.5 meters (1.6 ft) tall at the hip, reached 2 meters (6.6 ft) in length, and weighed roughly 15 kg (33 lbs). Despite its size, it wielded one of nature’s most iconic weapons—the large sickle-shaped claw on each foot.