#compsognathus

[alphynix]

First discovered in the 1850s, Compsognathus longipes was the first theropod dinosaur known from a fairly complete skeleton, and also the smallest known non-avian dinosaur for over 130 years.

(A second specimen was also, briefly, the "first" aquatic non-avian dinosaur, but that's another story.)

Living in what is now Europe during the late Jurassic, about 150 million years ago, it was a lightly built animal with long legs and a long tail, growing to around 1.2m long (~4'). Its hands seem to have had only two functional fingers, with the third being vestigial and possibly not even having a claw.

Skin impressions from about a third of the way along its tail show small bumpy scales – but since other compsognathids like Sinosauropteryx are known to have been covered in fur-like feathers, this likely means that just that particular region of Compsognathus' body wasn't fluffy.

Some of Compsognathus' diet is known for certain, since preserved gut contents show it fed on smaller vertebrates like lizards and rhynchocephalians. The remains of a lizard in the stomach of one specimen were even identified as belonging to a previously-unknown species, Schoenesmahl dyspepsia, with the dismembered nature of the skeleton suggesting Compsognathus tore its prey into bite-sized chunks in a similar manner to modern predatory birds.

———

NixIllustration.com | Tumblr | Patreon

References:

Conrad, Jack L. "A new lizard (Squamata) was the last meal of Compsognathus (Theropoda: Dinosauria) and is a holotype in a holotype." Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 183.3 (2018): 584-634. https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlx055

Gishlick, Alan D., and Jacques A. Gauthier. "On the manual morphology of Compsognathus longipes and its bearing on the diagnosis of Compsognathidae." Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 149.4 (2007): 569-581. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1096-3642.2007.00269.x

Peyer, Karin. "A reconsideration of Compsognathus from the Upper Tithonian of Canjuers, southeastern France." Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 26.4 (2006): 879-896. https://www.jstor.org/stable/4524640

Wikipedia contributors. “Compsognathus.” Wikipedia, 17 Jun. 2024, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compsognathus

[fastman27]

Dinovember day 1: Compsognathus

[bookrat]

A Compsognathus made to go outside~

[neunhofferart]

Gordon warm-ups and storyboard panels from Jurassic World Chaos Theory Season 2.

As I mentioned before, he was originally in a much longer scene with Brooklynn that introduced the idea of her working through a lingering PTSD around dinosaurs following her accident, while also relating their new shared limb difference. It was cut down significantly for time. v_v

I loved figuring out how he moved and hopped around on just one leg. Truly my favorite little guy.

(I'm going to share the full thing eventually, but I need to do some formatting fixes to the pdf file and then turn it into gifs for socials and I've been busy sorry haha).

[princefluph]

Archovember day 26! Compsognathus take 2! This was a really fun piece to do! Its fun to see the way that dinosaur skeletons articulate.

[saritapaleo]

Archovember 2024 Day 26 - Compsognathus longipes

Before it was confirmed that birds were dinosaurs, Compsognathus longipes was regarded as the smallest dinosaur for decades. About the size of a chicken, its name means “elegant/refined/dainty jaw”. It lived in Late Jurassic Europe, found thus far in both Germany and France, with possible teeth also found in Portugal. It was carnivorous, and the remains of small lizards were found preserved in both fossil specimens. They were likely fast, scurrying animals, using their long tails for balance.

In the Late Jurassic, Europe was a dry, tropical archipelago at the edge of the prehistoric Tethys Sea. Both Compsognathus specimens were preserved within lagoons, possibly having died chasing lizards on the beach and then being swept out to sea in a flash flood. The German specimen is known from the Painten Formation, a part of the Solnhofen Limestone. The French specimen was found in limestone on the plateau of Canjuers. One of Compsognathus’ most famous contemporaries is the avialan Archaeopteryx, and the two may have competed over prey. It would have also lived alongside early pterosaurs like Propterodactylus, Rhamphorhynchus, and Anurognathus (as seen above). There were also a diverse variety of turtles, rhynchocephalians, and lizards living here as well, many of which served as prey for this tiny, catlike predator.

This art may be used for educational purposes, with credit, but please contact me first for permission before using my art. I would like to know where and how it is being used. If you don’t have something to add that was not already addressed in this caption, please do not repost this art. Thank you!

[percivalias]

Dinovember x Huevember Day 1: Compsognathus!

Went with a non-feathered interpretation of this fella, though I understand there's some debate.

[buzzkillchainsaw]

POV: you're a humble rancher who just opened your Citipati coop to collect some eggs (the Compsognathus has other plans)

[otiksimr]

Your art is so good!! ;0; if your still doing art suggestions, favorite dinosaur from paleo pines?

I've never watched/played Paleo Pines but they dinos very silly, 10/10 game of the year.

[chameleocoonj]

quadruple dinosaur party

[alex-fictus]

My Mesozoic is Green!

Suchomimus - Steropodon - Chungkingosaurus

Deinonychus - Compsognathus - Corythosaurus

Altispinax/Becklespinax - Scaphognathus - Ptychodus

Nundasuchus - Henodus - Bambiraptor

Kronosaurus - Leedsichthys - Brachytrachelopan

Stickers || Phone Wallpapers Masterlist

[alphynix]

Schoenesmahl dyspepsia was a lizard that lived in what is now Europe during the late Jurassic, about 150 million years ago. Around 30cm long (~1'), it had a fairly small head, elongated hind limbs, and a very long tail – proportions that suggest it was an agile animal capable of fast running.

Only one specimen is known, most notable for being preserved inside the stomach of the dinosaur Compsognathus. For a long time it was classified as an example of Bavarisaurus, but it was finally recognized as representing a distinct type of lizard in 2018, with recent studies placing it as an early member of the gecko lineage closely related to ardeosaurids and eichstaettisaurids.

———

NixIllustration.com | Tumblr | Patreon

References:

Conrad, Jack L. "A new lizard (Squamata) was the last meal of Compsognathus (Theropoda: Dinosauria) and is a holotype in a holotype." Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 183.3 (2018): 584-634. https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlx055

Meyer, Dalton, et al. "A Morrison stem gekkotan reveals gecko evolution and Jurassic biogeography." Proceedings of the Royal Society B 290.2011 (2023): 20232284. https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2023.2284

Wikipedia contributors. “Schoenesmahl” Wikipedia, 19 Jan. 2024, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schoenesmahl

[sagayellowburg]

Raaahr

[neovenatorgirlteeth]

NEW PAPER FROM CAU HUGE IF TRUE

Cau A. (2024). A Unified Framework for Predatory Dinosaur Macroevolution. Bulletin of the Italian Paleontological Society , 63(1): 1-19. doi:10.4435/BSPI.2024.08

[sombertide-0]

Dinovember day 1, compsognathus!

[princefluph]

Im gonna be doing two drawing things this month! this one is day one of Dinovember featuring Compsognathus! Up until now Ive drawn this small theropod without feathers, but it seems that its been discussed about it possibly having a light feathered appearance.