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Coelophysidae
Coelophysidae is a family of primitive carnivorous theropod dinosaurs. Most species were relatively small in size. The family flourished in the Late Triassic and Early Jurassic periods, and has been found on numerous continents. Many members of Coelophysidae are characterized by long, slender skulls and light skeletons built for speed. One member genus, ''Coelophysis'', displays the earliest known furcula in a dinosaur. Under Cladistics, cladistic analysis, Coelophysidae was first defined by Paul Sereno in 1998 as the most recent common ancestor of ''Coelophysis, Coelophysis bauri'' and ''Procompsognathus, Procompsognathus triassicus'', and all of that common ancestor's descendants. However, Tykoski (2005) has advocated for the definition to change to include the additional taxa of Coelophysis kayentakatae, "Syntarsus" ''kayentakatae'' and ''Segisaurus halli''. Coelophysidae is part of the superfamily Coelophysoidea, which in turn is a subset of the larger Neotheropoda clade. As p ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Megapnosaurus Rhodesiensis
''Megapnosaurus'' (meaning "big dead lizard", from Greek μεγα = "big", 'απνοος = "not breathing", "dead", σαυρος = "lizard") is an extinct genus of coelophysid Theropoda, theropod dinosaur that lived approximately 188 million years ago during the early part of the Jurassic Period (geology), Period in what is now Africa. The species was a small to medium-sized, lightly built, ground-dwelling, bipedal carnivore, that could grow up to long and weigh up to . It was originally given the genus name ''Syntarsus'', but that name was later determined to be preoccupied by a beetle. The species was subsequently given a new genus name, ''Megapnosaurus,'' by Ivie, Ślipiński & Węgrzynowicz in 2001. Some studies have classified it as a species within the genus ''Coelophysis,'' but this interpretation has been challenged by more subsequent studies and the genus is now considered valid. Discovery and history The first fossils of ''Megapnosaurus'' were found in 1963 by a grou ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Coelophysoidea
Coelophysoidea were common dinosaurs of the Late Triassic and Early Jurassic periods. They were widespread geographically, probably living on all continents. Coelophysoids were all slender, carnivorous forms with a superficial similarity to the coelurosaurs, with which they were formerly classified, and some species had delicate cranial crests. Sizes range from about 1 to 6 m in length. It is unknown what kind of external covering coelophysoids had, and various artists have portrayed them as either scaly or feathered. Some species may have lived in packs, as inferred from sites where numerous individuals have been found together. Examples of coelophysoids include ''Coelophysis'', ''Procompsognathus'' and '' Liliensternus''. Most dinosaurs formerly referred to as being in the dubious taxon "Podokesauridae" are now classified as coelophysoids. Classification Despite their very early occurrence in the fossil record, coelophysoids have a number of derived features that separate th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Megapnosaurus
''Megapnosaurus'' (meaning "big dead lizard", from Greek μεγα = "big", 'απνοος = "not breathing", "dead", σαυρος = "lizard") is an extinct genus of coelophysid theropod dinosaur that lived approximately 188 million years ago during the early part of the Jurassic Period in what is now Africa. The species was a small to medium-sized, lightly built, ground-dwelling, bipedal carnivore, that could grow up to long and weigh up to . It was originally given the genus name ''Syntarsus'', but that name was later determined to be preoccupied by a beetle. The species was subsequently given a new genus name, ''Megapnosaurus,'' by Ivie, Ślipiński & Węgrzynowicz in 2001. Some studies have classified it as a species within the genus ''Coelophysis,'' but this interpretation has been challenged by more subsequent studies and the genus is now considered valid. Discovery and history The first fossils of ''Megapnosaurus'' were found in 1963 by a group of students from Northlea S ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Procompsognathus
''Procompsognathus'' is an extinct genus of coelophysid theropod dinosaur that lived approximately 210 million years ago during the later part of the Triassic Period, in what is now Germany. ''Procompsognathus'' was a small-sized, lightly built, ground-dwelling, bipedal carnivore, that could grow up to 1 m (3.3 ft) long. Discovery and naming The fragmentary and poorly preserved skeleton of ''Procompsognathus'' was found in the Middle Stubensandstein member of the Löwenstein Formation at the ''Weiße Steinbruch'', the quarry of Albert Burrer on the northern slopes of the Stromberg region near Pfaffenheim in Württemberg, Germany. The discovery was made by Albert Burrer in the spring of 1909 in white sandstone and gray/blue marl sediments that were deposited during the Norian stage of the Triassic period, approximately 210 million years ago. The holotype SMNS 12591, consisted of three blocks of sandstone: one showed a small, seven-centimetre-long, severely crushed sk ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Camposaurus
''Camposaurus'' ( ) is a coelophysid dinosaur genus from the Norian stage of the Late Triassic period of North America. The pertinent fossil remains date back to the early to middle Norian stage, and is widely regarded as the oldest known neotheropod. Description ''Camposaurus'' is a small, carnivorous, theropod dinosaur. Its approximate length and weight cannot be reliably estimated because of the sparse material that is known from this genus. ''Camposaurus'' is known from partial lower leg bones, holotype UCMP 34498 (which includes distal tibiae, distal fibulae, and astragalocalcanea), and other fragmentary material. Like other coelophysids, it has fused tibio-tarsals and fibulo-tarsals. Unlike its relatives, the area of the tibia that fits with the fibula has a distinct ridge at the back. Another unique feature is the lack of a large medial condyle on the astragalus. The type species, ''C. arizonensis'', was formally named and described by Adrian Hunt, Spencer G. Lucas, Andre ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Neotheropoda
Neotheropoda (meaning "new theropods") is a clade that includes coelophysoids and more advanced theropod dinosaurs, and is the only group of theropods that survived the Triassic–Jurassic extinction event. All neotheropods became extinct by the end of the Early Jurassic (Pliensbachian) period except for Averostra. Classification Neotheropoda was named by Robert T. Bakker in 1986 as a group including the relatively derived theropod subgroups Ceratosauria and Tetanurae, and excluding coelophysoids. However, most later researchers have used it to denote a broader group. Neotheropoda was first defined as a clade by Paul Sereno in 1998 as ''Coelophysis'' plus modern birds, which includes almost all theropods except the most primitive species.Sereno, 1998. A rationale for phylogenetic definitions, with application to the higher-level taxonomy of Dinosauria. Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie, Abhandlungen. 210, 41-83. Dilophosauridae was formerly considered a small cla ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Furcula
The (Latin for "little fork") or wishbone is a forked bone found in most birds and some species of non-avian dinosaurs, and is formed by the fusion of the two pink clavicles. In birds, its primary function is in the strengthening of the thoracic skeleton to withstand the rigors of flight. In birds The furcula works as a strut between a bird's shoulders, and articulates to each of the bird's scapulae. In conjunction with the coracoid and the scapula, it forms a unique structure called the triosseal canal, which houses a strong tendon that connects the supracoracoideus muscles to the humerus. This system is responsible for lifting the wings during the recovery stroke. As the thorax is compressed by the flight muscles during downstroke, the upper ends of the furcula spread apart, expanding by as much as 50% of its resting width, and then contracts. X-ray films of starlings in flight have shown that in addition to strengthening the thorax, the furcula acts like a spring in the pe ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Panguraptor
''Panguraptor'' ("Pangu Chinese godplunderer") is a genus of coelophysid theropod dinosaur known from fossils discovered in Lower Jurassic rocks of southern China. The type and only known species is ''Panguraptor lufengensis''. The generic name refers to the deity Pangu but also to the supercontinent Pangaea for which in a geological context the same characters are used: 盘古. ''Raptor'' means "seizer", "robber" in Latin. The specific name is a reference to the Lufeng Formation. The holotype specimen was recovered on 12 October 2007 from the Lufeng Formation of Yunnan, which is noted for sauropodomorph fossils. It was described in 2014 by You Hai-Lu and colleagues. Description The holotype of ''Panguraptor,'' LFGT-0103, is the partial articulated skeleton of a subadult individual, including the skull, lower jaws, presacral vertebrae, first sacral vertebra, parts of the pectoral girdle and pelvic girdle, a left femur and most of the right limb. This specimen is likely a su ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lucianovenator
''Lucianovenator'' is an extinct genus of coelophysidae, coelophysid Theropoda, theropod dinosaur which lived in Argentina during the Triassic. The genus name ''Lucianovenator'' translates to "Luciano's hunter", in reference to Don Luciano Leyes, who first reported the remains. The species name ''bonoi'' refers to Tulio del Bono, a local scientific authority who collaborated on the describers' research. It is one of the few Neotheropoda, neotheropods known from South America. Discovery The holotype (PVSJ 906) of ''Lucianovenator bonoi'' was found in the "Quebrada del puma" locality of the Quebrada del Barro Formation in Argentina, which is estimated to be from the late Norian to Rhaetian in age, approximately 210 to 202 million years ago. PVSJ 906 represents an articulated vertebral sequence from the third Cervical vertebrae, cervical to fourth dorsal vertebra, as well as a sacrum and a partial pelvis. In addition, three more specimens were referred to ''Lucianovenator''. These in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Liliensternus
''Liliensternus'' is an extinct genus of basal neotheropod dinosaur that lived approximately 210 million years ago during the latter part of the Triassic Period in what is now Germany. ''Liliensternus'' was a moderate-sized, bipedal, ground-dwelling carnivore, that could grow up to long. It is the best represented Triassic theropod from Europe and one of the largest known.Rauhut, O.M.W. & A. Hungerbuhler, 1998, "A review of European Triassic theropods". ''Gaia'' 15. 75-88. Description ''Liliensternus'' was approximately long, and may have weighed about . Other estimates suggest that ''Liliensternus'' was at best long and weighed at most. The remains of two specimens of ''Liliensternus'' together form a syntype series with inventory number MB.R.2175, and consist of the partial and fragmentary skeletons of at least two individuals, containing elements of the skull, the lower jaws, the vertebrae and the appendicular skeleton. The tibia (409 mm) is shorter than the femur (4 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Coelophysis? Kayentakatae
''Coelophysis''? ''kayentakatae'' is an extinct species of neotheropod dinosaur that lived approximately 200 - 196 million years ago during the early part of the Jurassic Period in what is now the southwestern United States. While originally assigned to the genus '' Syntarsus'' as ''Syntarsus kayentakatae'', that genus name was found to be preoccupied by a Colydiine beetle, so it was moved to the genus ''Megapnosaurus'' as ''Megapnosaurus kayentakatae''. Later it was moved again to ''Coelophysis'', however the species still possesses no definite genus assignment. Discovery The holotype of ''C.''? ''kayentakatae'' (MNA V2623) was recovered in the Silty Facies Member of the Kayenta Formation in Arizona. This material was collected in 1977 from carbonaceous sandstone deposited during the Sinemurian and Pliensbachian stages of the Jurassic period.Padian, K (1997) Glen Canyon Group In: Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs, edited by Currie, P. J., and Padian, K., Academic Press. Specimen UCMP ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Coelophysis Kayentakatae
''Coelophysis''? ''kayentakatae'' is an extinct species of neotheropod dinosaur that lived approximately 200 - 196 million years ago during the early part of the Jurassic Period in what is now the southwestern United States. While originally assigned to the genus '' Syntarsus'' as ''Syntarsus kayentakatae'', that genus name was found to be preoccupied by a Colydiine beetle, so it was moved to the genus ''Megapnosaurus'' as ''Megapnosaurus kayentakatae''. Later it was moved again to ''Coelophysis'', however the species still possesses no definite genus assignment. Discovery The holotype of ''C.''? ''kayentakatae'' (MNA V2623) was recovered in the Silty Facies Member of the Kayenta Formation in Arizona. This material was collected in 1977 from carbonaceous sandstone deposited during the Sinemurian and Pliensbachian stages of the Jurassic period.Padian, K (1997) Glen Canyon Group In: Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs, edited by Currie, P. J., and Padian, K., Academic Press. Specimen UCMP ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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