Spinostropheus gautieri

Name

Spinostropheus gautieri

Authority

Sereno, Conrad and Wilson, 2004 originally described as Elaphrosaurus gautieri, Lapparet, 1960

Meaning of generic name

Spine Vertebra in Greek. Named for the prominent epipophyseal processes on the cervical vertebrae and its moderate body size

[was earlier, with my earlier comment:]

Meaning of generic names

Spine Vertebra + turning in Greek. Named for the prominent epipophyseal [?] processes on the cervical vertebrae and – elaphrosaurus synonym – its moderate body size and its being a lizard

[“prominent epipophyseal [?] processes” = disease?]

Meaning of specific name

After Geologist F. Gautier

Size

Body length: 12 ft (4 m)

Remains

Holotype: Isolated mid-cervical vertebrae

Referred Specimen: MNN TIG6, articulated axial column preserving the third cervical to the anterior sacrals with complete cervical and more fragmentary dorsal ribs. Cervical and dorsal vertebrae overlap with the holotypic specimen.

[Neither head nor extremities!]

Age and Distribution

Horizon: Tiouraren Formation, Irhazer Group, Lower Cretaceous Period (Lower Berriasian - Upper Barremian)

Locality: Niger, Africa

Classification

Dinosauria Saurischia Theropoda Ceratosauria

Further Reading

Lapparent (1960). "Les dinosauriens du 'Continental intercalaire' du Sahara central." Mem. Soc. Geol. France. 88A:1-57.

Sereno, P.C., Wilson, J.A., & Conrad, J.L. 2004. New dinosaurs link southern landmasses in the Mid-Cretaceous. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London: Biological Sciences 271: 1325-1330.

[Earlier also]

Synonyms

Elaphrosaurus gautieri