Podokesaurus

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Podokesaurus

Fossil

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Sauropsida
Order:	Saurischia
Suborder:	Theropoda
Family:	Coelophysidae
Genus:	Podokesaurus Talbot, 1911

Species

P. holyokensis (type)

Podokesaurus ("swift-footed lizard") was a small carnivorous dinosaur of the Early Jurassic Period (originally thought to be Late Triassic), and as such is one of the earliest known dinosaurs to inhabit the eastern United States [1]. The small, bipedal carnivore was about 90 cm (3 ft) long and 45 cm (1 ft 6 in) tall. It has been estimated that it could run at 14 - 19 km/h (9 - 12 mph), hence the name. There is also some speculation that it is related to (or is) the Triassic species, Coelophysis [2].

Early illustration of Podokesaurus holyokensis.

The only fossils of Podokesaurus holyokensis (the full name given by Talbot) were recovered in 1911 by Mount Holyoke College professor of geology and geography, Mignon Talbot from a boulder near to the college.[3] It was formally described that year based on a poorly preserved, incomplete fossil skeleton.

This fossil evidence suggests that it may not be a distinct genus but in fact a species of Coelophysis, standing 1 m (3 ft) long and 0.3 m (1 ft) high, and weighing 4 kg (10 lb). The matter is complicated because all the original fossil evidence for Podokesaurus holyokensis was destroyed in a fire and only casts remain in The Division of Paleontology at the American Museum of Natural History, New York. [4]

[edit] References

Colbert, E.H. (1964) The Triassic dinosaur genera Podokesaurus and Coelophysis. Am. Mus. Novitates 2168: 1-12.
Talbot, M., 1911, Podokesaurus holyokensis, a new dinosaur of the Connecticut Valley: American Journal of Science, v. 31, p. 469-479.
Coleophysis - relation to Late Triassic, Coleophysis, from the Illinois State Geographical Survey
Coelophysis - relation to Late Triassic, Coleophysis, from the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles