Name:
Coelophysis (Greek for "hollow face"); pronounced SEE-low-FIE-sis
Habitat:
Plains of western North America
Historical Period:
Late Triassic (215 million years ago)
Size and Weight:
About 9 feet long and 100 pounds
Diet:
Lizards and fish
Distinguishing Characteristics:
Small, slim body with pointed head; different sizes for males and females
About Coelophysis:
One of the most ancient of all dinosaurs, Coelophysis has left a disproportionate imprint in the fossil record: thousands of Coelophysis bones have been found in a small region in New Mexico, leading to speculation that these small, lithe theropods roamed the North American plains in packs. This predator came in two varieties: "robust" (big and strong) and "gracile" (small and sleek), which paleontologists believe corresponded to males and females.
For years, Coelophysis was unjustly thought to be cannibalistic, since what were believed to be the bones of juveniles were found fossilized inside larger, adult skeletons. It now seems that these were the bones of other reptile species, though paleontologists still debate the evidence.
