Megapnosaurus

Megapnosaurus (meaning "big dead lizard", from Greek μέγα = "big", ἄπνοος = "not breathing", "dead", σαῦρος = "lizard") is an extinct monospecificgenus of coelophysidtheropoddinosaur that lived around 199-188 million years ago during the early part of the JurassicPeriod in what is now Africa. The species was a small to medium-sized, lightly built, ground-dwelling, bipedalcarnivore, that could grow up to 2.2 m (7.2 ft) long and weigh up to 13 kg (29 lb).

It was originally given the genus name Syntarsus, but that name was later determined to be preoccupied by a colydiine beetle (itself now absorbed into the genus Cerchanotus). The species was subsequently given a new genus name, Megapnosaurus, by , 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 Megapnosaurus is now considered valid.