Saltopus

leaping foot

• saltus · Latin · leap, jump
• pous · Greek · foot

The name combines the Latin "saltus" (leap) with the Greek "pous" (foot). It refers to the animal's presumed leaping, agile way of moving, suggested by its slender, lightly built hind limbs. The type species is Saltopus elginensis, named after Elgin in Scotland, where the fossil was found.

Named by

von Huene

Year named

1910

Period

Late Triassic

Found in

Lossiemouth Sandstone Formation, near Elgin, Moray, Scotland, UK

A small, slender animal known from a single specimen. It was originally described as an early dinosaur (often a small theropod), but more recent work (e.g. Benton and Walker, 2011) treats it as a dinosauriform close to the origin of dinosaurs, so it may not be a true dinosaur. Its exact classification is debated.