Re: Coelophysis

[cnedin@geology.adelaide.edu.au (Chris Nedin)]

>   Hi!  We are two sixth grade students. We are hoping to know who found
>the first Coelophysis  and where it was found? Was it a full skeleton?
>Was it an adult or child? Is it in good condition? When was it found? Is
>it on display in a museum? Were there any eggs in the area? Are there any
>e-mail addresses to the museum?

I think that they were first found in 1947 by Edwin Colbert from the
American Museum of Natural History. A mass of skeletons were found at
Ghoast Ranch, New Mexico, probably the result of a flash flood. Sizes
ranged form hatchlings to adults, some complete, others torn apart. I do
not think any eggs were found.
I suspect the Nw Mexico State museum and the American Natural History
Museum have specimens.

_Coelophysis_ means "hollow condition" and referes to the hollow leg bones,
similar to birds.

Chris

cnedin@geology.adelaide.edu.au,   nedin@ediacara.org
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Many say it was a mistake to come down from the trees, some say
the move out of the oceans was a bad idea. Me, I say the stiffening
of the notochord in the Cambrian was where it all went wrong,
it was all downhill from there.