Species
Juravenator starki
Juravenator starkiJuravenator starki patrolled the warm, shallow archipelago margins of Late Jurassic Europe, darting along limestone lagoon shores in pursuit of insects and small reptiles. Exceptional fossil preservation revealed a mosaic of delicate tuberculate scales alongside filamentous plumage, offering rare direct evidence of mixed integument in basal coelurosaurs. With large orbits adapted for hunting in dim twilight and sensory scales along its tail, this fleet-footed predator was finely tuned to coastal foraging.
CarnivorousPrehistoric
—observations
—countries
—peak records
ExtinctConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXExtinctRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preySmall lizards, Jurassic insects, Small fish
Predators
- Larger theropod dinosaurs
- Prehistoric crocodilians
- Large pterosaurs
ThreatsLarger theropods, terrestrial crocodylomorphs, large pterosaurs
HabitatsSubtropical archipelago islands, coastal lagoons, tidal flats
Life spanEstimated 8–15 years
Classification
- FamilyCompsognathidae
- SpeciesJuravenator starki
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Extinct species known only from Late Jurassic fossils; safe to observe in museum collections.
Responsible observation
- Museum viewing: Look closely at fossil casts to spot delicate skin impressions along the tail.
- Paleontological study: Compare its sensory tail scales to modern semi-aquatic crocodilians.
Ecological Neighbor (c) Pedro José Salas Fontelles, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
Same Family Zach Tirrell from Plymouth, USA / CC BY-SA 2.0 · cc-by-sa
Close Relative Ghedoghedo / CC BY-SA 3.0 · cc-by-sa
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