JurassicCarnivoreTiny

Compsognathus

COMP-sog-NATH-us

"Pretty jaw"

Overview

Compsognathus was a tiny, delicate theropod, long considered the smallest known non-avian dinosaur. This chicken-sized predator was a fast, agile hunter of small prey in the Late Jurassic islands of Europe.

Vital Statistics

Length

1 m

Height

0.3 m

Weight

3 kg

Est. Speed

50 km/h

Discovered

1859

Named by

Johann Andreas Wagner

Countries Discovered

GermanyFrance

Fossil Locations

🦴

📍 Solnhofen, Germany📍 Canjuers, France

Interesting Facts

Compsognathus was only about the size of a chicken, roughly 1 meter long.

For over a century, it was famous as the smallest known dinosaur.

Fossil specimens preserve remains of lizards in the stomach cavity.

Compsognathus is one of the few dinosaur species known from complete skeletons.

Closest Relatives

SinosauropteryxScansoriopteryxJuravenatorAristosuchus