Elopteryx nopcsai ver - 1

Class: Sauropsida

Superorder: Dinosauria

Order: Saurischia

Suborder: Theropoda

(unranked): Maniraptora

Family: Elopterygidae Lambrecht, 1933

Genus: Elopteryx Andrews, 1913


From Bradycneme to Heptasteornis to Elopteryx, this is one strange theropod indeed. Described by Andrews in 1913, this genus was until very recently plagued by the lack of material, what was known was fragmentary and misleading. Now it is known that Elopteryx is composed in fact of several different animals: a troodontid, an alvareszaurid and a therezinosaur. A few months ago a specimen of Elopteryx comprising the pelvig girdle, complete with legs right down to the claws clinched the whole argument, Elopteryx is a therezinosaurid similar to Falcarius, and since i've seen the bones myself i can tell you its a beautiful specimen. Unfortunately for me, i finished this reconstruction of Elopteryx as a troodontid just in time to find out that new material had been discovered.
However... we also find in Hateg troodontid teeth, lots of them in fact. So i guess ill put this one down as a regular old fashined troodontid.

gouace on canvas, 40x60 cm, 2009.