Coelophysis vs Velociraptor

A detailed side-by-side comparison of Coelophysis and Velociraptor, covering size, diet, classification, geologic period, and discovery history.

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Side-by-Side Comparison

Property Coelophysis Velociraptor
Scientific Name Coelophysis bauri Velociraptor mongoliensis
Classification Theropoda Dromaeosauridae
Period Triassic Late Cretaceous Late
Diet Carnivore Carnivore
Length 3.0 m 2.0 m
Height 1.0 m 0.5 m
Weight 20 kg 15 kg
Discovery Year 1889 1924
Discovery Location Ghost Ranch, New Mexico, USA Gobi Desert, Mongolia
Named By Edward Drinker Cope Henry Fairfield Osborn
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Size Comparison

Coelophysis 3.0 m

about the size of a human adult

Velociraptor 2.0 m

about the size of a human adult

Weight Comparison

Coelophysis 20 kg

lighter than a human adult

Velociraptor 15 kg

lighter than a human adult

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Timeline Comparison

Coelophysis
237.0 Mya Triassic Late (Mesozoic) 201.4 Mya
Velociraptor
100.5 Mya Cretaceous Late (Mesozoic) 66.0 Mya
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Diet Comparison

Coelophysis

Carnivore

Coelophysis was a meat-eating predator, hunting other animals for food.

Velociraptor

Carnivore

Velociraptor was a meat-eating predator, hunting other animals for food.

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Classification Comparison

Coelophysis

Clade: Saurischia

Group: Theropoda

(Beast feet)

Velociraptor

Clade: Theropoda

Group: Dromaeosauridae

(Raptors)

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Did You Know?

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Both Coelophysis and Velociraptor were carnivores.

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Coelophysis lived during the Triassic Late while Velociraptor lived during the Cretaceous Late, separated by roughly 101 million years.

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Coelophysis was discovered 35 years earlier, in 1889.

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Coelophysis belonged to Theropoda while Velociraptor belonged to Dromaeosauridae.

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