Elaphrosaurus

Phylogeny: Dinosauria > Saurischia > Theropoda > Neotheropoda > Ceratosauria > Neoceratosauria > Abelisauroidea > Noasauridae > Elaphrosaurinae

Overview: Starting from a few years before 1910 to a few years after, a large number of dinosaur fossils were recovered in what was then German East Africa – present day Tanzania. Large teams of local workmen, led by German paleontologists, unearthed tons upon tons of fossils, all sent back to Germany for study. Among these were the fossils making up the holotype of Elaphrosaurus. Said fossils consisted of the pelvis, most of the leg bones, parts of the shoulder and upper arms, most of its neck vertebrae, a few spinal vertebrae, and some tail vertebrae. Most of the rib cage, its lower arms, and skull have yet to be found. In 1920, a formal description of the remains was published by the famed Werner Janensch, who recognized it was a new genus. Elaphrosaurus derives its generic name from Greek, meaning “lightweight lizard”, inspired by the animal’s overall slender build, long torso and long neck. At the time, its anatomy was unusual for a Late Jurassic theropod.

Despite its slender form, Elaphrosaurus was a decently large theropod, reaching an estimated six or so meters in length. Its phylogeny has been a matter of debate since it was described. To Janensch, it was a potential coelurosaur, with the renowned Hungarian paleontologist Franz Nopcsa referring it specifically to the family Ornithomimidae. In the 1980’s, it was suggested to have been a possible late surviving relative of Coelophysis. Nowadays, it’s classified as a ceratosaur, specifically within a family called the Noasauridae, and even more specifically, in the subfamily Elaphrosaurinae. Older depictions often restored it with the skull of a carnivorous animal, but it may’ve been an omnivore. Elaphrosaurus was closely related to Limusaurus, which is known to have lost its teeth as it aged, trending more towards herbivory into adulthood. It’s one of the largest confirmed noasaurids. In its region, other dinosaurs like Kentrosaurus, Giraffatitan, and Dicraeosaurus were present.