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Coelurus

Filed under Dinosaurs · Types of Dinosaurs editorial team

Triceratops skull showing the three horns and large bony frill — Photo: Vicpeters, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Pronunciation

see-LURE-us

Name means

Hollow Tail

Diet

Carnivore

Posture

Bipedal

Length

6 feet (1.8 meters)

Height

3 feet (0.9 meter)

Order: Saurischia · Suborder: Theropoda (not confirmed)

Coelurus takes its name from the very light bones(vertebrae, foot and leg bones, and parts of the pelvis) that are among the fragmentary remains recovered in Wyoming. The lightness of its bones suggests that Coelurus was a very fast moving dinosaur.

Restoration of Carnotaurus, a horned theropod from the Cretaceous — Photo: Andrey Atuchin, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Reference background: Natural History Museum, London — Dinosaurs; Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History — Dinosaurs; American Museum of Natural History — Dinosaurs & Fossils. Figures are typical published ranges; taxonomy follows the source era and modern consensus is noted where it differs. See our sources & fact-check policy.

Frequently asked questions

What does Coelurus mean?

The name Coelurus means “Hollow Tail”. It is pronounced see-LURE-us.

Was Coelurus a carnivore or a herbivore?

Coelurus was a carnivore.

How big was Coelurus?

Coelurus was about 6 feet (1.8 meters) long, around 3 feet (0.9 meter) tall.

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