Name:
Habitat:
Historical Period:
Size and Weight:
Diet:
Distinguishing Characteristics:
About Compsognathus:
If you saw a picture of it without any sense of scale, you might find Compsognathus every bit as scary as T. Rex, with its sharp teeth, big eyes, and predatory stance--so you might be relieved to know that this dinosaur was no bigger than your average chicken.
Once thought to be the smallest of all dinosaurs, Compsognathus has since been bested by the even tinier Microraptor. But this dinosaur was not to be taken lightly: paleontologists think it was very fast, with good stereo vision, and occasionally capable (perhaps) of taking down larger prey.
One controversy about Compsognathus that hasn't been settled yet is whether or not this dinosaur had primitive feathers. No trace of feathers has been found in existing fossils, but then again, a soft, downy coat would have left little or no imprint.
