Compsognathus was a carnivore (meat-eater) that lived in
Europe
(fossils have been found in
Germany and
France)
during the late Jurassic period,
about 155 to 145 million years ago.
Compsognathus is smallest known dinosaur, and was about the size of a chicken. It was 2½ to 4½ feet (0.7 to 1.4 meters) long,
and weighed about 6 to 7 pounds (about 3 kilograms). It is believed to be the closest known of relative
of the early bird, Archaeopteryx.
Compsognathus was a fast-runner and used its speed when hunting lizards, insects and other small animals.
Compsognathus is known from two near complete skeletons that were found in
Germany and
France.
The German specimen was discovered by Joseph
Oberndorfer in Bavarian limestone deposits in the 1850s (where
well-preserved
Archaeopteryx specimens have also been found).
Johann A. Wagner described the specimen in papers in 1859 and 1861,
and called it Compsognathus longipes. In 1868, Thomas Huxley
hypothesized that the creature was closely related to dinosaurs, and in
1896
Othniel C. Marsh
recognized that Compsognathus was in fact a dinosaur.
The French specimen of Compsognathus was discovered in
1972,
and although this was originally thought to be a separate species,
it was later realized that the German specimen was a juvenile member of the
same species.
Compsognathus was a member of the Saurischia ("lizard-hipped") order of dinosaurs. What this means, is that although Compsognathus was not closely related to lizards, it did have similarly shaped pelvic bones.
Compsognathus was a Theropod - a member of a group of related bipedal dinosaurs that included the ancestors of birds (although Compsognathus was not itself an ancestor of birds).
Compsognathus lived between about 155 million years ago and 145 million years ago, during the Jurassic period.
Compsognathus was a carnivore (meat-eater). Compsognathus's diet is known to have included small agile lizards, as fossilized remains of stomach contents have been found.
Compsognathus was about 2½ feet (0.7 meters) to 4½ feet (1.4 meters) long.
Compsognathus weighed about 6 or 7 pounds (about 3 kilograms).
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