Compsognathus

Compsognathus longipes

Compsognathus was one of the smallest known non-avian dinosaurs, about the size of a chicken. A specimen found with a lizard in its stomach provides direct evidence of its diet. It was one of the first complete dinosaur skeletons discovered.

Physical Description

Measurement	Value	Human Scale
ความยาว	1.0 m	smaller than a human child
Height	0.3 m	—
น้ำหนัก	3 kg	lighter than a human adult

Diet & Feeding

Carnivore

Compsognathus was a meat-eating predator. Carnivorous dinosaurs were active hunters or scavengers, equipped with sharp teeth and claws for catching and consuming prey. They occupied the top of the food chain in their ecosystems.

Time Period

Jurassic Late Mesozoic Era

Compsognathus lived during the Jurassic Late period of the Mesozoic Era, approximately 161.5 to 145.0 million years ago.

One of the most iconic periods for dinosaurs. Giant sauropods like Brachiosaurus and Diplodocus roamed alongside predators like Allosaurus. Archaeopteryx, the earliest known bird, appeared. The Morrison Formation preserves an extraordinary fossil record from this time.

Discovery & Naming

ตั้งชื่อโดย	Johann A. Wagner
ปีที่ค้นพบ	1859
สถานที่ค้นพบ	Riedenburg, Bavaria, Germany

การจำแนกประเภท

Dinosauria → Saurischia → Theropoda → Compsognathus

Beast feet

Bipedal, mostly carnivorous dinosaurs that include the largest land predators ever to live. Theropods gave rise to modern birds. Ranges from tiny Compsognathus to massive Tyrannosaurus rex.

Size Comparison

At 1.0 meters long and 3.0 kg, Compsognathus was smaller than a human child and lighter than a human adult.

Other dinosaurs from the same period:

Caihong juji Ambopteryx longibrachium Amphicoelias altus Maraapunisaurus fragillimus Giraffatitan brancai Marshosaurus

Quick Facts

การจำแนกประเภท	Theropoda
ยุคธรณีวิทยา	Jurassic Late
อาหาร	Carnivore
ขนาด	1.0m long, 0.3m tall, 3.0kg