Photographs by Alberto Acosta |
Suborder Theropoda,
Infraorder Coelurosauria Compsognathus longipes
Late Jurassic, Germany
THE JURASSIC PERIOD from 195 million to 140 million years ago.
The Jurassic period, with its lush rainforests, derives its name from an abundantly fossiliferous sequence of chalky deposits discovered in the Jura Mountains bordering Switzerland and France. For the 55 million year duration of the Jurassic period, the supercontinent of Pangaea was gradually being wrenched into 2 separate masses, Gondwanaland (Africa, South America, Australia, India, Arabia, and Antarctica) and Laurasia (Europe, Asia, Greenland, and North America). Among the survivors of the Triassic extinction, tiny primitive mammals began to diversify during the Early Jurassic. By the dawning of the Late Jurassic (150 million years ago), the Atlantic Ocean had formed and the drifting continents had barely begun to resemble their present shapes. Gigantic dinosaurs that cared for their young had evolved from their smaller Late Triassic ancestors. Land bridges between the continents allowed the thriving herds of dinosaurs to migrate across great distances. Palm-like plants appeared and flourished throughout the warm, swampy landscapes of the period, nourishing the largest creatures that ever walked the Earth.
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Of all the known fossils of adult dinosaurs, Compsognathus (“Elegant Jaw”) has the distinction of being the smallest. Running upright on its strong hind legs and stalking the underbrush for smaller Reptiles along the forested seashores of Jurassic Germany and France, Compsognathus was a swift and capable hunter, armed with sharp claws and teeth. This tiny coelurosaur was a relative of such giant creatures as the Tyrannosaurus rex of a later age. More closely related to Archaeopteryx (the bird-dinosaur), this skeleton shows that they shared a very recent common ancestor, suggesting that birds may have inherited their warmblooded metabolism from their dinosaur forebears. |
The smaller bones exposed within the rib cage of this well-known specimen have been identified as the undigested skeleton of Bavarisaurus, a tiny lizard that was devoured just before the predator died. With its neck and tail bent backwards, this Compsognathus (discovered in 1861) was long thought to have died in agony, although its posture is now attributed to the tightening of tissues as the carcass dried out prior to fossilization. From the famous lithographic limestone of Solnhofen. Bavarian State Institute for Paleontology and Historical Geography.
MESOZOICA:
The Age of Dinosaurs
Currently on View at the
Museum of Ancient Wonders
(more than 100 dinosaur elements and skeletons from around the world)
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MoAW's mission is to educate a diverse audience about the history of ancient civilizations and prehistoric life using fossils and artifacts from a variety of cultures and time periods.
MoAW is a 501(c)(3)
Tax-Exempt Organization
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Next Week: It's your turn.
Do you have a favorite piece at MoAW you would like to see highlighted in our weekly email? You can visit www.moaw.org, see the collections tab, visit the catalogs and state your choice on the link below.
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Help MoAW reopen during the pandemic.
With rising rates of infection, Riverside County moved back to the purple tier. Help MoAW and other Riverside County Businesses reopen. The more people who get tested, the better for state-wide statistics.
Riverside County offers free testing at several sites, call Riverside County Health to schedule your test,
1-888-634-1123
Thank You
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Members Perks
So many reasons to join MoAW, you help keep the museum open, allow us to acquire new artifacts, plan and present programs including the Second Friday Fantasy, and help local students learn about ancient civilizations and human origins.
For all that you do to help us we thank you in many ways:
- Unlimited free admission for one year
- Free Guest Passes (see Membership levels for details)
- Invitations to Members-Only exhibition receptions and programs
- Priority registration and discounts on programs and special events
- Special rental rates for hosting events (see membership levels for details)
- Copies of exhibition catalogs (see Membership levels for details)
- Unique travel opportunities through the Museum Travel Alliance
During the initial phase of "The Pause" we offered new members two extra months with membership. While we are back in "The Pause" we are offering this again. Current memberships will be extended by the amount of time we are closed and new members, 14 months of membership will start when we reopen. Click below for more information and to join.
Thank you.
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TUTANKHAMUN:
"Wonderful Things"
Treasures From The Pharaoh's Tomb
(124 Egyptian replicas)
On View At The
Museum of Ancient Wonders
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