Compsognathus
Compsognathus longipes
Pronounced:
Komp - so - Nath - us
Diet:
Carnivore (meat-eater)
Name Means:
"Elegant Jaw"
Length: 3
feet (1 m)
Height: 1
foot (.3 m)
Weight: 6
pounds (3 kilos)
Time:
Jurassic
Fossil remains
for this Dinosaur
have been found in
Germany
Compsognathus became well
known from being featured in
"Lost World: Jurassic Park
2." It was one of the
smallest dinosaurs we know
about. This little hunter
probably ate bugs and small
lizards. In fact, the first
fossil skeleton of this
dinosaur had the remains of
its last meal, a lizard,
still in its stomach.
Compsognathus is one of those dinosaurs
around which some controversy swirls. Some
paleontologists feel that, like the much larger
Tyrannosaurus the little Compy had
only two fingers. Others feel strongly that it
had three. Since there are only two known
fossils, and the bones are not perfectly
preserved in an articulated (as they were in
life) manner, it may take more discoveries to
solve this issue.
Compsognathus is considered an important link
in the study of bird evolution. The original
fossil of this dinosaur was found in the same
place as Archeopteryx, the early feathered
reptile. Compy shares a number of
characteristics with this creature, but Compys
do not appear to have feathers. This is one of
those interesting dinosaurs where scientists
hope to find more specimens to learn the answers
to many questions. |
