Open Paleo

Coelophysoidea

Nopcsa, 1928 Type genus Coelophysis

Its genera lived 237.0–174.7 million years ago Late Triassic–Early Jurassic
Late Triassic and Early Jurassic stages

Coelophysoidea is a clade of slender, carnivorous theropod dinosaurs that was widespread during the Late Triassic and Early Jurassic, with fossils known from most continents. It contains the family Coelophysidae along with a range of other early forms, including such genera as Coelophysis, Procompsognathus, and Liliensternus. Its members were lightly built bipeds ranging from about 1 to 6 meters in length, with long, narrow skulls opened by large fenestrae and light skeletons suited to fast, agile running; some species bore delicate cranial crests. Coelophysoids are regarded as basal neotheropods lying outside the more advanced Averostra, and many taxa once grouped here, including the larger crested forms, are now placed elsewhere along the early theropod stem.

Diagnosis

  1. Elongate, lightly built skull with a low, narrow, pointed snout
  2. Subnarial gap between the premaxillary and maxillary tooth rows
  3. Elongate cervical vertebrae with low neural spines, producing a long, flexible neck
  4. Slender cursorial hindlimbs with a tightly appressed metatarsus

Clades within Coelophysoidea

Genera placed directly in Coelophysoidea

  • Dracoraptor Martill et al., 2016 Rhaetian–Hettangian (205.7–199.5 Ma)United Kingdomunder dispute
  • Lophostropheus Ezcurra & Cuny, 2007 Rhaetian–Hettangian (205.7–199.5 Ma)Franceunder dispute
  • Panguraptor You et al., 2014 Hettangian–Sinemurian (201.4–192.9 Ma)Chinaunder dispute
  • Pendraig Spiekman et al., 2021 Norian–Rhaetian (227.3–201.4 Ma)United Kingdom
  • Podokesaurus Talbot, 1911 Hettangian–Sinemurian (201.4–192.9 Ma)United Statesunder dispute
  • Powellvenator Ezcurra, 2017 Norian (227.3–205.7 Ma)Argentina
  • Pterospondylus Nomen dubium Jaekel, 1914 Norian (227.3–205.7 Ma)Germanyincertae sedisunder dispute

References

  1. Nopcsa, B. F. (1928). The genera of reptiles. Palaeobiologica 1: 163-188.

    Named the subfamily Coelophysinae within Podokesauridae, from which the superfamily name takes its authorship by coordination.

    nopcsa1928c
  2. Holtz, T. R. (1994). The phylogenetic position of the Tyrannosauridae: implications for theropod systematics. Journal of Paleontology 68: 1100-1117.

    Named Coelophysoidea as a new taxon for the clade of coelophysids and Dilophosaurus, equivalent to Node 2 of Rowe and Gauthier (1990), and diagnosed it.

    holtz1994a
  3. Rowe, T.; Gauthier, J. (1990). Ceratosauria. The Dinosauria (Weishampel, D. B.; Dodson, P.; Osmólska, H., eds.) 151-168. University of California Press, Berkeley.

    Grouped the ceratosaurs other than Ceratosaurus as an unnamed Node 2, diagnosed by a subnarial gap and axial characters, with Dilophosaurus as sister to its other members.

    rowe1990a