RE: Coelophysid Distribution & Evolution

[Tim Williams <twilliams_alpha@hotmail.com>]

Amtoine Grant wrote:

> I know Coelophysid remains have been found in North America, Europe & North 
> Africa.

I wasn't aware that coelophysoids have been found in North Africa.  (That 
doesn't mean they weren't found here - I just haven't heard of any in that 
particular neck of the woods.)  Coelophysoid material is certainly known 
from southern Africa, in the form of _Megapnosaurus rhodesiensis_ (formerly 
_Syntarsus rhodesiensis_) from Zimbabwe, which probably represents a species 
of _Coelophysis_ (_C. rhodesiensis_).

As you note, there is also coelophysoid material from Europe.  These include 
various named species, such as _Procompsognathus triassicus_ and 
_Liliensternus liliensterni_ (both Germany), and _"Liliensternus" 
airelensis_ (France), as well as "_Syntarsus_" material from Wales and a 
bunch of other fragmentary remains.

Asia... Irmis (2004) reports _Megapnosaurus_ material from the Early 
Jurassic of China.  The Indian taxon _Alwalkeria maleriensis_ has been 
called a coelophysoid, but the evidence is weak.  "_Dilophosaurus" sinensis_ 
might not even be a ceratosaur.

And of course there is the abundant coelophysoid material from the U.S.: 
_Coelophysis bauri_, _Segisaurus halli_, "_Syntarsus"_ kayentakatae_, 
_Dilophosaurus wetherilli_, _Gojirasaurus quayi_ and some other poorly known 
(and possibly indeterminate) species.  Coelophysoid afinities have been 
touted for the South American theropod _Zupaysaurus_, but these have yet to 
come to fruition.

> Also, how many coelophysids are known worldwide from the Late Triassic [and 
> Early Jurassic]?

http://personal2.stthomas.edu/jstweet/neotheropoda.htm has a nice summary.

> Also, it seems coelophysids went extinct after the Early Jurassic, except 
> for Lilensternus & Dilophosaurus, which seem to be direct derivations of 
> North American species.

No, _Liliensternus_ and _Dilophosaurus_ are Early Jurassic.  If there were 
any coelophysoids known from after the Early Jurassic, I'd like to hear 
about them.  Looks like they may have gone extinct then.  They had a good 
run.


Tim