Timeline of coelophysoid research
This timeline of coelophysoid research is a chronological listing of events in the history of paleontology focused on the coelophysoids, a group of primitive theropod dinosaurs that were among Earth's dominant predators during the Late Triassic and Early Jurassic epochs. Although formally trained scientists didn't discover coelophysoid fossils until the late , Native Americans of the modern southwestern United States may have already encountered their fossils. Navajo creation mythology describes the early Earth as being inhabited by a variety of different kinds of monsters who hunted humans for food. These monsters were killed by storms  and the heroic Monster Slayers, leaving behind their bones. As these tales were told in New Mexico not far from bonebeds of "Coelophysis", this dinosaur's remains may have been among the fossil remains that inspired the story. The first scientifically documented coelophysoid taxon was "Coelophysis bauri" itself. However, when the species was first described by Edward Drinker Cope in 1887, it was thought to belong to a genus of small carnivorous dinosaurs called "Coelurus". Later that same year Cope changed his mind and transferred it to the genus "Tanystropheus". "Tanystropheus" turned out to be a long-necked reptile not  regarded by scientists as a true dinosaur. As such, ""Tanystrophaeus"" "bauri" was soon given its own genus, "Coelophysis" in 1889. Over the ensuing decades, many new coelophysoids would be discovered, like "Podokesaurus", "Procompsognathus", and "Segisaurus". In 1947, a paleontological team led by Edwin Colbert made a major discovery in New Mexico. While on an expedition to Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona, he made a detour to Ghost Ranch, New Mexico where many phytosaur fossils had been found. There they discovered a massive bonebed preserving hundreds of "Coelophysis", many of which were complete and articulated. The find has been considered  the most significant Triassic fossil discovery in North America. Later, other coelophysoids and even other bonebeds would be discovered. Notable coelophysoids discovered during the mid to late include "Syntarsus" (now "Megapnosaurus") and "Gojirasaurus". Despite this extensive history of research, the formal recognition of the Coelophysoidea as a distinct group of dinosaurs is relatively recent and the group would not be formally named until a 1994 by Thomas Holtz. 19th century. 1880s. 1884 1887 1889 1890s. 1895 20th century. 1910s. 1911 1913 1915 1930s. 1934 1936 1940s. 1947 1960s. 1969 1980s. 1984 1989 1990s. 1991 1993 1994 1997 1998 21st century . 2000s. 2001 2007 2009 2010s. 2014 2015 2017