Elrhazosaurus

Say it like this: “el-RAH-zo-SOR-us”

Elrhazosaurus nigeriensis

Elrhazosaurus ate plants and walked on two legs. It lived in the Early Cretaceous. Bones have been found in Niger.

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When: Early Cretaceous (Aptian) · roughly 121.4 to 113.2 million years ago
Named in: 2009 · Galton, P. M.
Hip height: Not established
Length: 2 m · 7 ft
Weight: Not established
Found in: Niger · Elrhaz
Food and walking: Herbivore · Two legs
Kind: beaked plant-eater · Ornithopod
Family branch: Dryosauridae

The story in short

The genus Elrhazosaurus dates to 2009, the year P. M. Galton described it.

Fossils referred to Elrhazosaurus date to the Early Cretaceous (Aptian), roughly 121.4 to 113.2 million years ago. Finds come from Niger, including the Elrhaz Formation. It was a herbivore and walked on two legs.

Published estimates put Elrhazosaurus at a length near 2 m.

On the family tree it sits in Dryosauridae, among the ornithopod dinosaurs.

Close relatives

Callovosaurus

Callovosaurus leedsi

Middle Jurassic (Callovian) · roughly 165.3 to 161.5 million years ago

Dryosaurus

Dryosaurus altus

Late Jurassic (Kimmeridgian · Tithonian) · roughly 154.8 to 143.1 million years ago

Dysalotosaurus

Dysalotosaurus lettowvorbecki

Late Jurassic (Kimmeridgian) · roughly 154.8 to 149.2 million years ago