Jurassic
Ornitholestes
Ornitholestes hermanni
The catalogue presents Ornitholestes as a carnivore member of Coelurosauria that lived during the Jurassic, between 154 Ma. Its estimated range is 2.0 m in length and 12 kg in mass, giving a practical sense of scale. Reference material comes from Wyoming, USA. Size and mass are approximations and may change with new fossils or methods.
Evidence-backed summary
For Ornitholestes, the PBDB records the taxonomic attribution as Osborn (1903).
The PBDB places it in Compsognathidae, and the catalogue record assigns it to the family Coelurosauria.
- PBDB · taxon.parent
- Coelurosauria
The PBDB catalogues 2 occurrences, with material from the Morrison Formation (2). Provenance: United States.
The catalogue records the holotype as AMNH 619 and the type locality as “Wyoming, USA”.
- AMNH 619
- Wyoming, USA
The catalogue's reference measurements are 2.0 m in length and 12 kg in mass — estimates, which vary with specimen and method.
- 2.0 m
- 12 kg
The record gathers 55 bibliographic references registered in the PBDB, listed below.
Where it lived
Fossil occurrences on today’s map and in the tectonic reconstruction.
Positions reconstructed by PBDB/GPlates, not observed; this is not an exact habitat map.
Artistic 3D reconstruction
There is no approved species-specific 3D model yet. Generic anatomy will not be presented as if it were evidence.
Physical Specifications
- Length
- 2.0 m
- Weight
- 12 kg
- Period
- Jurassic
- Time range
- 154 Ma
Discovery Information
- First Discovery
- 1903
- Described by
- Henry Fairfield Osborn
Taxonomic Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Reptilia
- Order
- Saurischia
- Family
- Coelurosauria
- Genus
- Ornitholestes
- Species
- O. hermanni
Data status
Taxonomic name matched to PBDB and checked on 2026-08-08.
Taxonomic linkage does not automatically validate size, mass, behaviour or appearance.
- Type specimen
- AMNH 619
- Type locality
- Wyoming, USA