MB.Av.100 ("Berlin Specimen" original fossil slab)
Archaeopteryx lithographica • “Ancient wing of lithographic stone”
The historic transitional fossil bridging non-avian feathered theropods and modern birds, possessing feathered wings alongside toothed jaws and a bony tail.
Ghost Ranch quarry skeleton mount
Coelophysis bauri • “Hollow form”
A gracile, agile early theropod that flourished across Late Triassic floodplains, hunting small vertebrates and insects with slender grasping jaws and lightweight hollow bones.
Archaeopteryx lithographica lived during the Jurassic, while Coelophysis bauri inhabited the Triassic. They were separated by roughly 51 million years of deep time and never encountered one another in the ancient world. Both species shared a carnivore diet, occupying comparable trophic levels in their respective food webs. Based on available fossil estimates, Coelophysis bauri was larger than Archaeopteryx lithographica in both overall length and estimated body mass (approximately 25× heavier and 6× longer). Estimates vary between individual specimens.
Anatomical dimensions compared on a shared proportional baseline against an adult human (1.8 m / 5.9 ft).
Coelophysis bauri was longer by approximately 2.5 m.
Coelophysis bauri stood taller by approximately 0.7 m.
Both had broadly similar estimated body masses.
Based on available fossil estimates, Coelophysis bauri was larger than Archaeopteryx lithographica in both overall length and estimated body mass (approximately 25× heavier and 6× longer). Estimates vary between individual specimens.
Paleontological Note on Mass Estimates: Dinosaur body weights are derived through volumetric laser scanning and femoral circumference scaling equations. Because soft tissue does not fossilize directly, mass values carry statistical margins of uncertainty and represent scientific estimates rather than exact weights.
Direct answers to the most important comparative questions about how these two prehistoric species differed.
Based on available fossil estimates, Coelophysis bauri was larger than Archaeopteryx lithographica in both overall length and estimated body mass (approximately 25× heavier and 6× longer). Estimates vary between individual specimens.
Both species shared a carnivore diet, occupying comparable trophic levels in their respective food webs.
Archaeopteryx lithographica lived during the Jurassic (Late Jurassic, 150–148 Ma), while Coelophysis bauri lived during the Triassic (Late Triassic, 228–201 Ma).
Fossils of Archaeopteryx lithographica were recovered from Solnhofen, Bavaria, Germany, whereas Coelophysis bauri was discovered in New Mexico, Arizona (Ghost Ranch).
Archaeopteryx lithographica had a bipedal / volant locomotion, contrasted with Coelophysis bauri which had a bipedal stance.
Archaeopteryx lithographica and Coelophysis bauri did NOT live at the same time. They were separated by an immense temporal gulf of approximately 51 million years. Coelophysis bauri lived and went extinct tens of millions of years before Archaeopteryx lithographica ever evolved.
Side-by-side catalog of verified anatomical measurements and geological records.
| Scientific Parameter | A Archaeopteryx lithographica | B Coelophysis bauri |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Binomial | Archaeopteryx lithographica | Coelophysis bauri |
| Name Meaning | “Ancient wing of lithographic stone” | “Hollow form” |
| Taxonomic Clade / Group | Theropods | Theropods |
| Geological Period | Jurassic | Triassic |
| Fossil Time Range | Late Jurassic, 150–148 Ma | Late Triassic, 228–201 Ma |
| Diet & Trophic Guild | Carnivore | Carnivore |
| Maximum Length | 0.5 m (1.6 ft) | 3 m (9.8 ft) |
| Standing / Hip Height | 0.3 m (1 ft) | 1 m (3.3 ft) |
| Estimated Body Mass | 0 tonnes (1 kg) | 0 tonnes (25 kg) |
| Locomotion / Stance | Bipedal / Volant | Bipedal |
| Geographic Localities | Solnhofen, Bavaria, Germany | New Mexico, Arizona (Ghost Ranch) |
| Geological Formation | Solnhofen Limestone | Chinle Formation |
| Discovery History | Historical holotype | Historical holotype |
Visualizing both species across the 186-million-year span of the Mesozoic Era.
Archaeopteryx lithographica and Coelophysis bauri did NOT live at the same time. They were separated by an immense temporal gulf of approximately 51 million years. Coelophysis bauri lived and went extinct tens of millions of years before Archaeopteryx lithographica ever evolved.
Deep-time perspective: Archaeopteryx lithographica and Coelophysis bauri were separated by approximately 51 million years. A visitor encountering one would have had no concept of the other.
Comparing the rock strata, paleoclimates, and ancient landscapes where their fossils were entombed.
Solnhofen, Bavaria, Germany
Europe
New Mexico, Arizona (Ghost Ranch)
North America
Stratigraphic Synthesis:
Direct comparisons between extinct animals are inherently shaped by the incomplete nature of the fossil record. Skeletal dimensions reflect holotype or well-preserved paratype specimens, but individual ontogenetic age, sexual dimorphism, and intraspecific variation all influence the true living size of any prehistoric animal.
Body mass estimates shown above represent calculated averages from published volumetric models and biomechanical limb scaling. As modern synchrotron imaging and 3D digital skeletal mounts advance, museum measurements are continually refined.