Elaphrosaurus

† Elaphrosaurus ('light-footed lizard') is a ceratosaurian noasaurid theropod from the Late Jurassic Tendaguru Formation of Tanzania and possibly the Morrison Formation. At about 6 m long and 210 kg, it was a slender, long-limbed cursorial predator of small to medium vertebrates. Notably lacking forelimb claws, it may have relied on speed and jaws to subdue prey. The Tendaguru specimens, collected during the German expeditions of 1909–1913, remain among its best-known material.

Diet & Feeding

Carnivore

Elaphrosaurus was a meat-eating predator. Carnivorous dinosaurs were active hunters or scavengers, equipped with sharp teeth and claws for catching and consuming prey. They occupied the top of the food chain in their ecosystems.

Time Period

Jurassic Late Mesozoic Era

Elaphrosaurus lived during the Jurassic Late period of the Mesozoic Era, approximately 161.5 to 145.0 million years ago.

One of the most iconic periods for dinosaurs. Giant sauropods like Brachiosaurus and Diplodocus roamed alongside predators like Allosaurus. Archaeopteryx, the earliest known bird, appeared. The Morrison Formation preserves an extraordinary fossil record from this time.