Fauna
Reptile

Coelophysis

Coelurus bauri

Also known as Hollow Form Dinosaur, Rio Arriba Theropod

Coelophysis was a slender, agile bipedal hunter equipped with hollow, shock-absorbing limb bones and stereo-vision eyes that made it an exceptionally efficient Triassic predator. Skeletons discovered at dense bonebeds reveal that these early dinosaurs frequently gathered, traveled, and succumbed together in sudden flood events. Their curved neck and sharp, recurved serrated teeth allowed them to pluck swift-moving reptiles, amphibians, and fish directly from prehistoric shorelines.

CarnivorousBipedal
—observations
—countries
—peak records
ExtinctConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXExtinctRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preySmall sphenodontian reptiles, Early cynodonts, Freshwater fish
Predators
  • Postosuchus
  • Phytosaurs
ThreatsSevere regional droughts, seasonal flash flooding, and rauisuchian predators
HabitatsRiparian floodplains, open river basins, and semi-arid lowlands
Life span10–20 years (estimated)
Classification
  1. FamilyCoeluridae
  2. SpeciesCoelurus bauri
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Extinct species known only from Late Triassic fossil deposits.
Responsible observation
  • Fossil Viewing: Visit the Ghost Ranch quarry in New Mexico to view complete death assemblages preserved in red siltstone.
  • Skeletal Anatomy: Examine museum casts to notice the fused collarbones, an early evolutionary forerunner to the avian wishbone.
Related species
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