Coelophysidae

Coelophysidae skull restoration

Megapnosaurus is a coelophysid theropod dinosaur from the Early Jurassic Period of Africa. It was a lightly built bipedal carnivore that grew to just over 2 m long and 13 kg in body mass. Its close relation to Coelophysis has caused some confusion in classifying the genus - it had a slender build and curved S-shaped neck, but was more robust. Comparisons between the scleral rings of Megapnosaurus and modern birds and reptiles indicate that it may have been nocturnal.

Coelophysis bauri (Cope, 1887) theropod dinosaur from the Triassic of New Mexico, USA. This is a remarkable complete skeleton of the small early theropod Coelophysis. It comes from a nearly monospecific concentration of numerous complete to disarticulated skeletons in reddish-colored fluvial siltstones, often called a "Coelophysis graveyard". This occurrence has been interpreted as a carcass-jammed channel filling following mass mortality of dinosaurs by regional drought (see Schwartz & Gillette, 1994). Stratigraphy: Rock Point Member, Chinle Formation, Upper Triassic Locality: Whitaker Quarry (Coelophysis Quarry), Ghost Ranch, Rio Arriba County, northern New Mexico, USA Some info. from: Hunt, A.P. & S.G. Lucas. 1991. Rioarribasaurus, a new name for a Late Triassic dinosaur from New Mexico (USA). Paläontologische Zeitschrift 65: 191-198. Schwartz, H.L. & D.D. Gillette. 1994. Geology and taphonomy of the Coelophysis Quarry, Upper Triassic Chinle Formation, Ghost Ranch, New Mexico. Journal of Paleontology 68: 1118-1130. Theropod were small to large, bipedal dinosaurs. Almost all known members of the group were carnivorous (predators and/or scavengers). They represent the ancestral group to the birds, and some theropods are known to have had feathers. Some of the most well known dinosaurs to the general public are theropods, such as Tyrannosaurus, Allosaurus, and Spinosaurus.

Coelophysis bauri (Cope, 1887) theropod dinosaur from the Triassic of New Mexico, USA. This is a remarkable complete skeleton of the small early theropod Coelophysis. It comes from a nearly monospecific concentration of numerous complete to disarticulated skeletons in reddish-colored fluvial siltstones, often called a "Coelophysis graveyard". This occurrence has been interpreted as a carcass-jammed channel filling following mass mortality of dinosaurs by regional drought (see Schwartz & Gillette, 1994). Stratigraphy: Rock Point Member, Chinle Formation, Upper Triassic Locality: Whitaker Quarry (Coelophysis Quarry), Ghost Ranch, Rio Arriba County, northern New Mexico, USA Some info. from: Hunt, A.P. & S.G. Lucas. 1991. Rioarribasaurus, a new name for a Late Triassic dinosaur from New Mexico (USA). Paläontologische Zeitschrift 65: 191-198. Schwartz, H.L. & D.D. Gillette. 1994. Geology and taphonomy of the Coelophysis Quarry, Upper Triassic Chinle Formation, Ghost Ranch, New Mexico. Journal of Paleontology 68: 1118-1130. Theropod were small to large, bipedal dinosaurs. Almost all known members of the group were carnivorous (predators and/or scavengers). They represent the ancestral group to the birds, and some theropods are known to have had feathers. Some of the most well known dinosaurs to the general public are theropods, such as Tyrannosaurus, Allosaurus, and Spinosaurus.

Coelophysis bauri (Cope, 1887) theropod dinosaur from the Triassic of New Mexico, USA. This is a remarkable complete skeleton of the small early theropod Coelophysis. It comes from a nearly monospecific concentration of numerous complete to disarticulated skeletons in reddish-colored fluvial siltstones, often called a "Coelophysis graveyard". This occurrence has been interpreted as a carcass-jammed channel filling following mass mortality of dinosaurs by regional drought (see Schwartz & Gillette, 1994). Stratigraphy: Rock Point Member, Chinle Formation, Upper Triassic Locality: Whitaker Quarry (Coelophysis Quarry), Ghost Ranch, Rio Arriba County, northern New Mexico, USA Some info. from: Hunt, A.P. & S.G. Lucas. 1991. Rioarribasaurus, a new name for a Late Triassic dinosaur from New Mexico (USA). Paläontologische Zeitschrift 65: 191-198. Schwartz, H.L. & D.D. Gillette. 1994. Geology and taphonomy of the Coelophysis Quarry, Upper Triassic Chinle Formation, Ghost Ranch, New Mexico. Journal of Paleontology 68: 1118-1130. Theropod were small to large, bipedal dinosaurs. Almost all known members of the group were carnivorous (predators and/or scavengers). They represent the ancestral group to the birds, and some theropods are known to have had feathers. Some of the most well known dinosaurs to the general public are theropods, such as Tyrannosaurus, Allosaurus, and Spinosaurus.

Coelophysis bauri (Cope, 1887) theropod dinosaur from the Triassic of New Mexico, USA. This is a remarkable complete skeleton of the small early theropod Coelophysis. It comes from a nearly monospecific concentration of numerous complete to disarticulated skeletons in reddish-colored fluvial siltstones, often called a "Coelophysis graveyard". This occurrence has been interpreted as a carcass-jammed channel filling following mass mortality of dinosaurs by regional drought (see Schwartz & Gillette, 1994). Stratigraphy: Rock Point Member, Chinle Formation, Upper Triassic Locality: Whitaker Quarry (Coelophysis Quarry), Ghost Ranch, Rio Arriba County, northern New Mexico, USA Some info. from: Hunt, A.P. & S.G. Lucas. 1991. Rioarribasaurus, a new name for a Late Triassic dinosaur from New Mexico (USA). Paläontologische Zeitschrift 65: 191-198. Schwartz, H.L. & D.D. Gillette. 1994. Geology and taphonomy of the Coelophysis Quarry, Upper Triassic Chinle Formation, Ghost Ranch, New Mexico. Journal of Paleontology 68: 1118-1130. Theropod were small to large, bipedal dinosaurs. Almost all known members of the group were carnivorous (predators and/or scavengers). They represent the ancestral group to the birds, and some theropods are known to have had feathers. Some of the most well known dinosaurs to the general public are theropods, such as Tyrannosaurus, Allosaurus, and Spinosaurus.

Coelophysis bauri (Cope, 1887) theropod dinosaur from the Triassic of New Mexico, USA. This is a remarkable complete skeleton of the small early theropod Coelophysis. It comes from a nearly monospecific concentration of numerous complete to disarticulated skeletons in reddish-colored fluvial siltstones, often called a "Coelophysis graveyard". This occurrence has been interpreted as a carcass-jammed channel filling following mass mortality of dinosaurs by regional drought (see Schwartz & Gillette, 1994). Stratigraphy: Rock Point Member, Chinle Formation, Upper Triassic Locality: Whitaker Quarry (Coelophysis Quarry), Ghost Ranch, Rio Arriba County, northern New Mexico, USA Some info. from: Hunt, A.P. & S.G. Lucas. 1991. Rioarribasaurus, a new name for a Late Triassic dinosaur from New Mexico (USA). Paläontologische Zeitschrift 65: 191-198. Schwartz, H.L. & D.D. Gillette. 1994. Geology and taphonomy of the Coelophysis Quarry, Upper Triassic Chinle Formation, Ghost Ranch, New Mexico. Journal of Paleontology 68: 1118-1130. Theropod were small to large, bipedal dinosaurs. Almost all known members of the group were carnivorous (predators and/or scavengers). They represent the ancestral group to the birds, and some theropods are known to have had feathers. Some of the most well known dinosaurs to the general public are theropods, such as Tyrannosaurus, Allosaurus, and Spinosaurus.