Compsognathus ate the Archaeopteryx and would likely come out as a winner in battle. While the Compy was much stronger, fast, and bigger, the Archaeopteryx wasn’t completely helpless. The Archaeopteryx could fly, leaving the Compsognathus and its speedy hind legs in the dust!
Table of Contents
Battle Facts about Compsognathus vs. Archaeopteryx
| Name | Compsognathus (Compsognathus longipes) | Archaeopteryx (Archaeopteryx lithographica) |
| Size | 2-4.5 feet long, 7.9-11 inches tall | 1.7 feet long, 2.25-foot wingspan, around 9 inches tall |
| Speed | 40 mph | 4-5 mph on foot |
| Offense | Strong for its size and fast | Could fly or glide from treetops |
| Defense | Quick speed, sharp teeth | Sharp teeth, claws on wings |
| Endurance and Behavior | Could run 40 mph for a long time, a carnivorous hunter | Feathers made for flight, similar to modern birds |
A Compsognathus and an Archaeopteryx were two of the smallest known dinosaurs from the Late Jurassic period. Compys often ate Archaeopteryx dinos when they could catch them!
But the bird-like Archaeopteryx was thought to steal Compy eggs and prey on the tiny Compy babies, too.
What were the similarities between Archaeopteryx and Compsognathus?
Both Archaeopteryx and Compsognathus were small Theropod dinosaurs from the Late Jurassic period. The Theropod dinosaur group has hollow bones with three clawed toes. T-rex, Spinosaurus, and Tarbosaurus were also Theropod dinosaurs.
Archaeopteryx and Compsognathus were bipedal. Bipedal means they walked on two legs. These small dinos also had long tails and sharp teeth!
Experts believed Compys were related to the Archaeopteryx, but they were not. The discovery of Compys – and later Archaeopteryx – inspired biologist Thomas Huxley and paleontologist O.C. Marsh to claim that these dinosaurs were responsible for the origin of birds!
Did the Compsognathus live with the Archaeopteryx?
Compy and Archaeopteryx dinos were found in the Solnhofen Limestone Formation. Complete skeletons of both these dinos were found in the same sediment. This means that Compy and Archaeopteryx lived in the same place simultaneously.
While the Archaeopteryx hasn’t been found outside Germany yet, the Compsognathus has. There are two complete skeletons of Compys, the larger one being a French specimen. Individual Compy bones have also been found in Portugal.
What made the Archaeopteryx different from the Compsognathus?
The Archaeopteryx was a bird-like dino with wings. The Compsognathus was a raptor-like dino with strong hind legs and short forelimbs. They were similar in size but two completely different small animals.
The Archaeopteryx was also able to open the upper and lower jaw. Like most reptilia, the Compy could only move the lower jaw. But the Compy could still open its jaw wide and was known to swallow its smaller prey whole!
What did the Compsognathus and the Archaeopteryx eat?
Archaeopteryx and Compy were meat-eating dinos that preyed on small animals, reptilia, and other small vertebrates. They also ate insects and already dead dinos.
The weirdest thing the Archaeopteryx and the Compy ate was each other. The Compy ate the Archaeopteryx whenever they could catch the flying dino. The Archaeopteryx couldn’t eat a full-grown Compy, but they sometimes ate Compy eggs and even tiny baby Compys!
Was Compsognathus the smallest dinosaur?
When Compsognathus was first discovered, it was the smallest known dinosaur. Since then, several smaller species of dinos have been discovered, including a tiny Microraptor. The Microraptor was a Cretaceous period dino related to the Velociraptor and the Deinonychus.
Pterosaurs were not technically dinosaurs, but they were still amazing prehistoric creatures. In 2008 paleontologists discovered a teeny tiny Pterosaur in China named Nemicolopterus. Believe it or not, this tiny Pterosaur with a 10-inch wingspan was related to the ginormous Quetzalcoatlus!
What is the Archaeopteryx also known as?
The Archaeopteryx is sometimes called by its German name Urvogel or “first bird.” When the Archaeopteryx was discovered in the 1800s, Paleontologists believed it was the first bird to ever evolve. Older avian dinos have since been discovered, including an Anchiornis, an Aurornis, and a Xiaotingia.
Archaeopteryx also has several synonyms. In paleontology sciences, this happens when names are rejected or already used for another species. Archaeopteryx synonyms include:
- The Griphosaurus
- The Griphornis
- The Archaeornis
- The Jurapteryx
- The Wellnhoferia
The final battle between Compsognathus vs. Archaeopteryx – who wins?
We already know that Compsognathus could and did eat the Archaeopteryx when they could catch them. But being able to catch and eat the Archaeopteryx did not mean Compy would always win. Since Archaeopteryx could fly from tree to tree, it could avoid the Compy often enough to survive.
On land, the Compy was much faster than Archaeopteryx. The Compy could run up to 40 mph, about 10 times faster than the Archaeopteryx. Since Archaeopteryx spent much of its life in the trees, stealing the Compy’s eggs and eating baby Compys was probably how the Archaeopteryx got caught in the first place!
Based on size, strength, and speed, Compsognathus would win over Archaeopteryx most of the time when the battle was on land. If the battle moves to the trees, Archaeopteryx has a very clear advantage. Compy’s strong hind legs are good for jumping, but jumping isn’t enough when your opponent can fly!