In Depth
Originally named as Elaphrosaurus gautieri in 1960, a 2004 analysis of the remains by P. C. Sereno, J. A. Wilson and J. L. Conrad concluded that they belonged to a different genus of dinosaur. Hence forth this fossil material now goes by the name of Spinostropheus based upon the shape of the vertebrae, although Elaphrosaursus still exists as the type species of this genus as this was named long before E. gautieri. Spinostropheus was at one time considered to have been an abelisaur, but today it continues to be regarded as a ceratosaur like Elaphrosaursus.
Further Reading
– Les Dinosauriens du “Continental intercalaire” du Saharal central. – M�moires de la Soci�t� g�ologique de France, nouvelle s�rie 39(88A): 1-57. – A-F de Lapparent – 1960. – New dinosaurs link southern landmasses in the mid-Cretaceous. – Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B 271(1546):1325-1330. – P. C. Sereno, J. A. Wilson & J. L. Conrad – 2004.
