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Compsognathidae is a family of dinosaurs belonging to the Coelurosauria suborder Theropoda. The group originated in 1861, after Compsognathus longpipes.[4][5][6] The family was classified by Edward Drinker Cope in 1875.[3] This classification was accepted by Othniel Charles Marsh in 1882, and added to the Coelurosauria clade by Friedrich von Huene in 1914 after additional fossils had been found.[4] Compsognathids are small carnivorous dinosaurs, generally conservative in form, from the Jurassic and Cretaceous Periods. The bird-like features of this dinosaur, along with other dinosaurs such as Archaeopteryx inspired the idea for the connection between dinosaur reptiles and modern day avian species.[1] Compsognathids lie at or near the origin of feathers—skin impressions are known from four genera, Compsognathus, Sinosauropteryx, Sinocalliopteryx, and Juravenator, though some of these classifications are still under debate.[7] 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.

Fossils have been uncovered across three different continents, specifically in the countries of China[9], France[4], Germany,[4][5][6][7] Italy,[8] and Brazil. [3][5] Classification of Compsognathidae is usually determined through examination of the metacarpal, which is used to separate Compsognathidae from other dinosaurs included in the genus Compsognathus.[2] However, classification is still complicated due to similarities to the body of several other theropod dinosaurs, as well as the lack of unifying, stereotypical features that are shared by all compsognathids.[3][10]

The position of the Compsognathidae within the Coelurosaur group is currently still being determined[5]; some hold the family as the basalmost of the coelurosaurs,[11] while others as part of the Maniraptora.[12][13] The evolution of Compsognathids, especially Juravenator and Sinosauroptryx, is an important factor in dating and method of feather emersion in dinosaurs.[7]