dinochecker
Welcome to our FAQ page...
Archived dinosaurs: 990
fb twit g+ feed
Dinosaurs from A to Z
Click a letter to view...
A B C D E F G
H I J K L M N
O P Q R S T U
V W X Y Z ?

What is Compsognathidae?

Pronunciation: comp-sog-nay-thuh-day
Author: Edward Drinker Cope
Year: 1871
Etymology: Compsognathus + Greek "-idae" (family)
Locomotion: Bipedal (two legs)
Synonyms: Sinosauropterygidae (Ji and Ji, 1996)
[Holtz 2004]Definition:
The most inclusive clade containing Compsognathus longipes but not Passer domesticus.
About
The compsognathids (members of Compsognathidae) are small theropods from the Jurassic and Cretaceous. Most members are known to be feathered, or at least fuzzy, to varying degrees (skin impressions show some had scales on their tail and legs) but they're not birds.

Edward Drinker Cope coined Compsognathidae with Compsognathus as the anchor in 1871, but his sneaky nemesis Othniel Charles Marsh tried to claim the naming glory for this (and other) family names in "Classification of the Dinosauria" that was published over a decade later.

Click here to view Dinochecker's A-Z list of Compsognathids.
Relationships
References
• Cope ED (1871) "On the homologies of some of the cranial bones of the Reptilia, and on the systematic arrangement of the class". Proceedings of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, 19: 194-247 [page 234]
• Marsh OC (1882) "Classification of the Dinosauria". American Journal of Science, series 3 23: 81-86
Email            
Time stands still for no man, and research is ongoing. If you spot an error, or want to expand, edit or suggest an entry feel free to drop us a line. Go here to answer an FAQ.
© 2010-2024 Dinochecker unless stated | Rss feed | Kindly site donations here.
All dinos are GM free, and no herbivores were eaten during site construction!
To cite this page:
Atkinson, L. "DinoChecker FAQ entry :: What is Compsognathidae?"
http://www.dinochecker.com/dinosaurfaqs/what-is-compsognathidae›. Web access: 29th Mar 2024.
  top