在1881年，業餘化石搜集者David Baldwin發現腔骨龍的第一個化石。在1889年，愛德華·德林克·科普（Edward Drinker Cope）將其命名為腔骨龍，當時他在與奧塞內爾·查利斯·馬什（Othniel Charles Marsh）展開名為骨頭大戰的長期競爭[15]。模式種是鮑氏腔骨龍（C. bauri）是為向科普提供化石的喬治·鮑爾（George Baur）而命名。不過這套化石的保存狀況很差，很難拼湊出腔骨龍的完整外貌。
於1947年，在美國新墨西哥州首次發現地點附近的幽靈牧場，發現了一個大量的腔骨龍屍骨層。這麼多腔骨龍的化石可能是由突然的洪水所造成，將牠們集體沖走、掩埋。事實上，這類洪水在地球歷史的這段時期甚為普遍，而亞利桑那州的石化林國家公園就是由一次類似的洪水所造成的。在1989年，埃德溫·科爾伯特（Edwin H. Colbert）替所有已發現的化石進行了一次完整的研究[10]，埃德溫·爾伯特的研究提供很多有關腔骨龍的資料。幽靈牧場的大量標本，包括完整保存的標本，其中一個取代了原有的標本，而成為了作為分析的模式標本。
^Gay, Robert J. 2001. "An unusual adaptation in the caudal vertebrae ofCoelophysis bauri (Dinosauria: Theropoda)."PaleoBios 21: supplement to number 2. Page 55.
^Dr. Michael Benton, Dinosaur and other prehistoric animal Fact Finder, 1992.
^Gay, Robert J. 2002. "The myth of cannibalism inCoelophysis bauri."Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 22(3); 57A
^Gay, Robert. 2010. "Evidence related to the cannibalism hypothesis inCoelophysis bauri from Ghost Ranch, New Mexico. In: Notes on Early Mesozoic Theropods. Lulu Press. pp. 9-18.ISBN 978-0-557-46616-0
^Nesbitt, S.J., Turner, A.H., Erickson, G.M., and Norell, M.A. (2006). "Prey choice and cannibalistic behaviour in the theropodCoelophys."Biology Letters, First Cite Early Online Publishing doi:10.1098/rsbl.2006.0524.
^Rinehart, L., Hunt, A., Lucas, S., Heckert, A., and Smith, J. (2005). "New evidence of cannibalism in the Late Triassic (Apachean) dinosaur,Coelophysis bauri (Theropoda: Ceratosauria)."Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology,25(105A).
^10.010.1Colbert, Edwin. (1989) "The Triassic DinosaurCoelophysis".Museum of Northern Arizona Bulletin.
^12.012.1Paul GS. (1988) Predatory Dinosaurs of the World
^Gay, R. 2005. Sexual Dimorphism in the Early Jurassic Theropod DinosaurDilophosaurus and a Comparison with Other Related Forms; pp. 277-283in K. Carpenter (ed.), The Carnivorous Dinosaurs. Indiana University Press, Bloomington, IN.
^Rothschild, B., Tanke, D. H., and Ford, T. L., 2001, Theropod stress fractures and tendon avulsions as a clue to activity: In: Mesozoic Vertebrate Life, edited by Tanke, D. H., and Carpenter, K., Indiana University Press, p. 331-336.
^Cope ED.(1889) "On a new genus of Triassic Dinosauria".American Naturalist xxiii p. 626
^Hunt and Lucas, (1991). "Rioarribasaurus, a new name for a Late Triassic dinosaur from New Mexico (USA).Paläontol. Z. 65 p. 191-198.
^Colbert, E. H., Charig, A.J., Dodson, P., Gillette, D. D., Ostrom, J.H. & Weishampel, D.B. (1992).Coelurus bauri Cope, 1887 (currentlyCoelophysis bauri; Reptilia, Saurischia): Proposed replacement of the lectotype by a neotype.Bulletin of Zoological Nomenclature 49 (4), pp. 276-279.
^International Commision on Zoological Nomenclature, 1996. Opinion 1842:Coelurus bauri Cope, 1887 (currentlyCoelophysis bauri; Reptilia, Saurischia): lectotype replaced by a neotype.Bulletin of Zoological Nomenclature. 53 (2), 142-144.
^Sullivan and Lucas (1999). "Eucoelophysis baldwini, a new theropod dinosaur from the Upper Triassic of New Mexico, and the status of the original types ofCoelophysis".Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 19(1): 81-90
^R. B. Irmis, S. J. Nesbitt, and W. G. Parker. (2005). "A critical review of the Triassic North American dinosaur record." In A. W. A. Kellner, D. D. R. Henriques, & T. Rodrigues (eds.),II Congresso Latino-Americano de Paleontologia de Vertebrados, Boletim de Resumos. Museum Nacional/UFRJ, Rio de Janeiro 139.
^Downs, Alex. 2000. in "Dinosaurs of New Mexico,"New Mexico Museum of Natural History Bulletin.
^Paul GS. (1993) inNew Mexico Museum of Natural History Bulletin.
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