Ornitholestes

† Ornitholestes is a small Late Jurassic coelurosaur from the Morrison Formation. Approximately 2 m long and 12 kg, this lightly built carnivore had slender hands and is among the best-preserved small theropods from North America.

Diet & Feeding

Carnivore

Ornitholestes 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

Ornitholestes 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.