in 1959, albert-félix de lapparent excavated fossils near oued timmersöi, west of in tedreft in the agadez desert. among the finds were the remains of a theropod. in 1960, de lapparent, based on these, named a second species of the genus "elaphrosaurus", "e. gautieri". the specific name honours françois gautier, the discoverer of the type locality.