Drag to rotate the Coelophysis, scroll or pinch to zoom, and click a body part - the head, an arm, a leg, or the long tail - to read what fossils tell us about it. The panel beside the model carries the real figures.
Coelophysis was a lightly built early theropod - turn on the human figure to see how a roughly 2.5 m animal compares with a person. Ghost Ranch bone beds show many individuals preserved together.
The colors and skin pattern here are an artistic reconstruction; fossils preserve bone, not soft tissue or color. The measurements in the panel are published figures with ranges where sources disagree.
Coelophysis 3D Viewer
This page renders a Coelophysis as a 3D model you can spin in the browser - drag to rotate, scroll or pinch to zoom, toggle a 1.8 m person beside it for scale, and click a body region to read a fact.
Coelophysis was an early bipedal theropod dinosaur from the Late Triassic of North America, about 228-201 million years ago. Cope named the genus in 1889. Adults are commonly reconstructed near 2-3 m long (panel baseline 2.5 m) and about 15-25 kg. Massive bone beds at Ghost Ranch, New Mexico, make it among the most thoroughly sampled early dinosaurs.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Length | about 2-3 m (panel baseline 2.5 m) |
| Hip height | about 0.7-1.0 m (panel baseline 0.8 m) |
| Weight | about 15-25 kg (panel baseline 20 kg) |
| When it lived | about 228-201 million years ago (Late Triassic) |
| Diet | Carnivore (small prey) |
Everything runs on your device with WebGL - no account, nothing sent to a server. Soft-tissue color is an artistic reconstruction; this model is not a fossil-accurate skeleton. Compare with the Dilophosaurus 3D Viewer (a larger Early Jurassic theropod).
Frequently Asked Questions
How big was Coelophysis?
Adults are commonly reconstructed near 2-3 m long and about 15-25 kg. Hip height is roughly 0.7-1.0 m. Turn on the human figure for scale.
When and where did it live?
Late Triassic North America, about 228-201 million years ago. Famous Ghost Ranch bone beds in New Mexico preserve many individuals.
What does the name mean?
Coelophysis means hollow form, referring to hollow limb bones - a trait shared with many later theropods and birds.
Is Coelophysis a dinosaur?
Yes. It is an early theropod dinosaur, a well-sampled Late Triassic predator of its size.
Is the model scientifically accurate?
Size follows published figures with ranges, but skin color and soft tissue are artistic. This is not a fossil-accurate skeleton.
Do I need to install anything to view it?
No. The model renders in your browser with WebGL - no app, no account, and nothing about your visit is sent to a server. When available, a free-licensed glTF model may swap in after first paint.