| Emausaurus Temporal range: Early Jurassic, Toarcian |
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|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Superorder: | Dinosauria |
| Order: | †Ornithischia |
| Branch: | †Thyreophora |
| Genus: | †Emausaurus Haubold, 1990 |
| Species: | †E. ernsti |
| Binomial name | |
| Emausaurus ernsti Haubold, 1990 |
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Emausaurus is a genus of thyreophoran or armored dinosaur from the Early Jurassic. Its fossils have been found in Germany. It is known from a skull and partial postcranial remains, although only the skull is known well. Armor includes conical scutes and tall, spiny elements.[1]
The type species, Emausaurus ernsti, was formalized by Harmut Haubold in 1990.[2] The generic name is composed of is an acronym of Ernst Moritz Arndt University of Greifswald (Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-Universität or EMAU) and Greek sauros/σαυρος (lizard). The specific name is derived from the name of geologist Werner Ernst, who found the fossils, holotype SGWG 85, in 1963 near Grimmen, in strata dating from the Toarcian.
The maximal length of Emausaurus has been estimated at around two metres. It was, despite its small size, probably quadrupedal and ate low vegetation.
Cladistic analyses showed that Emausaurus was a basal member of the Thyreophora, more derived than Scutellosaurus, but less than Scelidosaurus.