Dinosaur Encyclopedia Series Vol.39 Coelophysis

A Scientific Guide to Coelophysis bauri and the Late Triassic World

von Yoshihiko Murakami

46 Seiten, Taschenbuch

Kurzbeschreibung des Verlags

Meet Coelophysis, one of the best-known early theropod dinosaurs of the Late Triassic.Dinosaur Encyclopedia Series 39: Coelophysis is a science-focused guide to Coelophysis bauri, a slender predatory dinosaur that lived in North America about 200 million years ago.Famous discoveries at Ghost Ranch, New Mexico, have provided an unusually rich fossil record of this animal. Those fossils reveal a long, narrow skull, sharp teeth, a lightweight body, four-fingered hands, long hindlimbs, and an extremely long tail.This book clearly separates what fossils confirm, what scientists infer, and what remains unknown.It also re-examines the famous cannibalism hypothesis. Some remains once identified as juvenile Coelophysis inside larger individuals were later reinterpreted as belonging to other reptiles, including early crocodylomorphs. Cannibalism therefore remains debated rather than firmly established.Recent research is also explored, including studies of bone histology and immature skulls that show growth in Coelophysis was more complex than simply becoming a larger version of the same body shape.Across 22 illustrated topics, readers will explore: - classification and early theropod evolution- Ghost Ranch and its mass fossil assemblage- body size and skeletal proportions- skull anatomy and sharp teeth- four-fingered hands and theropod hand evolution- long hindlimbs and slender feet- the function of the extremely long tail- diet and the cannibalism hypothesis- senses and sensory uncertainty- skin, feathers, and color- growth and immature skulls- whether mass fossil assemblages prove herding- the Late Triassic Ghost Ranch ecosystem- the history of discovery and modern researchDesigned for dinosaur enthusiasts from upper elementary school through adult readers, this volume combines accessible explanations with scientifically conservative reconstructions based on current paleontological evidence.

• Reihe: Independently published
• ISBN: 9798175494946
• Sprache: Englisch
• Erscheinungsdatum: 19.09.2026
• Größe: 279 x 216 mm
• Verlag: Independently published