Coelophysis

Coelophysis is a genus of coelophysoid theropod dinosaur which lived during the late Cretaceous period in what is now North Amercia. This dinosaur was one of the first dinosaurs to evolve.

Facts
Coelophysis were small theropods. They hunted small animals including insects and small vertebrates like cynodonts and primitive mammals. They were also scavengers, feeding on the corpses of dead animals. They were slenderly-built, meaning that they were streamlined and agile animals. Coelophysis was one of the fastest animals in their ecosystem, able to easily outrun other, larger predators like Rutiodon.

Despite living on Earth earlier than birds, Coelophysis had several similarities to them. Coelophysis processed hollow bones, lowering its weight to about 20 kg. The rest of its body is built like birds. Coelophysis had a furcula (wishbone). However, there are differences. Coelophysis' tail was built like a rudder used to counterweight the rest of its body's weight. Its arms are equipped with hands designed to grasp items as opposed to the hands of birds.

In When Dinosaurs Ruled America
During the late Triassic period, a Coelophysis was seen running through a forest over the bumps on the surface. It caught sight of a small mammal and attacked it. As it ran to its burrow, the Coelophysis managed to catch it and eat it. Later, the Coelophysis came to a river. As it stood by the river's edge, a Rutiodon approached it from underneath the water. As it leaped out the water, the Coelophysis narrowly dodged the attack. The Rutiodon returned to the water as the Coelophysis stood a distance away before returning to the forest.

Later, the Coelophysis was seen at the top of the local waterfall drinking from it. When it finished, it hopped across the water's surface on some rocks and once again returned to the forest. Shortly after, it found an Icarosaurus on top of a fallen tree. The Coelophysis leaped at it but the Icarosaurus glided away using its elongated ribs. The Coelophysis failed to catch it and left the scene.

After running through the forest, the Coelophysis came across a deep burrow. It checked it out but then, a Traversodon emerged from the burrow and scared off the Coelophysis. Later, after a confrontation between a Rutiodon and a Desmatosuchus, the Coelophysis appeared and approached the Desmatosuchus. The Coelophysis mocked a lunge at the Desmatosuchus but the target did not tolerate the Coelophysis presence. It aggressively swiped its armour-plated tail at the Coelophysis but it missed. The Coelophysis ran away shortly after.

Later, in the forest, the Coelophysis found a large Locust resting on a tree and attacked it. As the insect flew away, the Coelophysis quickly followed. The Coelophysis chased it throughout the forest until the locust temporarily rested and flew off again. The Coelophysis managed to catch it mid-flight and eat it. It then ran off again to the river where a Rutiodon was basking on the bank before it re-entered the water. The Coelophysis then left the area.

Trivia

 * Coelophysis is the first dinosaur to appear in the documentary.