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Compsognathidae

Compsognathids
Temporal range: Late JurassicEarly Cretaceous, 151.5–108 Ma

Possible Late Cretaceous record

Compsognathidae.jpg
Compsognathid skeletons to scale
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Clade: Dinosauria
Order: Saurischia
Suborder: Theropoda
Clade: Tyrannoraptora
Family: Compsognathidae
Cope, 1871
Type species
Compsognathus longipes
Wagner, 1861
Genera
Synonyms
  • Sinosauropterygidae Ji & Ji, 1996

Possible Late Cretaceous record

Compsognathidae is a family of small carnivorous dinosaurs, generally conservative in form, from the Jurassic and Cretaceous Periods. Compsognathids lie at or near the origin of feathers—skin impressions are known from four genera, Compsognathus, Sinosauropteryx, Sinocalliopteryx, and Juravenator. While Juravenator, Sinosauropteryx, and Sinocalliopteryx show evidence of a covering of simple, primitive feathers, Juravenator and Compsognathus also show evidence of scales on the tail or hind legs.

The position of the Compsognathidae within the coelurosaur group is uncertain; some hold the family as the basalmost of the coelurosaurs, while others as part of the Maniraptora.

In his 2003 paper discussing basal theropod relationships, Oliver Rauhut considered compsognathids to be part of Coeluridae. However, subsequent cladistics analyses find Coelurus distantly related to members of Compsognathidae.

Sinocalliopteryx

Sinosauropteryx

Cast of a Compsognathus longipes specimen, Oxford University Museum of Natural History

Huaxiagnathus


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