Coelophysis

New Mexico State Fossil

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Casts of an adult and juvenile Coelophysis bauri mounted at the Denver museum of Nature and Science. The adult is carrying the vertebra of another animal in its mouth as if it were food, and the juvenile is hungrily reaching up for it.

Coelophysis skeletons; Casts of an adult and juvenile Coelophysis bauri mounted at the Denver museum of Nature and Science.  Photo by Bradley Gordon /Flickr (Use Permitted with Attribution).

Official State Fossil of New Mexico

New Mexico designated Coelophysis as the official state fossil in 1981. The first fossil remains of this dinosaur were found in New Mexico in 1881. All State Dinosaurs & Fossils

Coelophysis bauri (pronounced "see-low-FYS-iss") was a relatively small carnivorous dinosaur. Coelophysis grew to about 9 feet in length and was approximately three feet high at the hips; it is speculated that this dinosaur was warm-blooded and weighed about 50 pounds (Coelophysis means "hollow form" and refers to the hollow limb bones).

New Mexico

Images

Coelophysis bauri reconstruction;  A reconstruction of what Coelophysis bauri likely looked like in life according to current scientific understanding. Photo by Tas Dixon. (use permitted with attribution).

Coelophysis has a long wiry neck, short, clawed forelimbs, long gracile hindlegs, and a long, flexible tail. The animal's body is covered in shaggy protofeathers, and has an off white color broken up by green stripes and splotches.

Coelophysis adult & juvenile; photo by Beth Hoffman / Adventures in Librarianship on Flickr (noncommercial use permitted with attribution / share alike).

Coelophysis adult and juvenile

Videos

Coelophysis - roar