The type locality ofCoelophysis, a Late Triassic dinosaur from north-central New Mexico (USA)

Abstract

The dinosaur quarry at Ghost Ranch is not the type locality of any of the three named species of the Late Triassic ceratosaurian dinosaurCoelophysis (Saurischia: Theropoda). Instead, newly discovered localities near Ghost Ranch that produce Late Triassic ceratosaurs match the geographic and stratigraphic description of two of theCoelophysis type localities provided byDavid Baldwin, the original collector. Furthermore, the preservation and morphology of ceratosaur fossils from the new localities more nearly matchesBaldwin’s original material than does the Ghost Ranch quarry material. We conclude that these new localities encompassBaldwin’s localities, so the newly collected ceratosaur fossils from these localities are probable topotypes ofCoelophysis. These topotypes preserve unique morphology that suggestsCoelophysis is a taxon distinct fromRioarribasaurus, the Ghost Ranch dinosaur.