Coelophysis

Height : 1 m (3ft)

Length: 3 m (9 ft)

Weight :4 kg; (9 lb)

Coelophysis was a small carnivorous theropod that lived around 210 million years ago during the late Triassic period, it is one of the oldest know dinosaurs. Coelophysis was bipedal and walked on two long hind legs and is estimated to have been able to run quite fast. Coelophysis tail vertebrae could lock together to prevent the tail moving up and down giving stability at speed.

Coelophysis diet included fish, small lizards and other small animals. There is some debate as whether Coelophysis was a cannibal or not; remains of juvenile Coelophysis have been found in the what would appear to be the stomachs of adults Coelophysis - some palaeontologists think that these were crushed under the adults rather than eaten by them.

Compsognathus means "Hollow Form" because of its lightly built hollow bones. Fossils were first discovered in 1881 by David Baldwin. It was named by palaeontologist Edward D. Cope in 1889.

  • Dinosauria (Dinosaurs)
    • Saurischia (Lizard Hipped)
      • Theropods (bipedal, mostly carnivores)
        • Tetanura (advanced theropods with three fingers)
          • Coelophysidae
            • Coelophysinae
              • Coelophysis
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