In 1995 Western Paleontological Laboratories, Inc. uncovered the partial skeleton of a small theropod at the Bone Cabin Quarry West locality, Albany County, Wyoming, from the Salt Wash Member of the Morrison Formation, dating to the Kimmeridgian-Tithonian.

At first the find was considered to be a specimen of Coelurus[1] but subsequent study indicated it represented a species new to science, that in 2001 was announced to be named Tanycolagreus topwilsoni.

The etymology of the generic name Tanycolagreus, suggested by Ben Creisler, is based upon the greater length of its forelimbs and hindlimbs compared to Coelurus.

The specific name honors George Eugene "Top" Wilson, the father of a benefactor financially supporting the scientific research.

It is part of the collection of Thanksgiving Point Institute, Inc. and displayed in the North American Museum of Ancient Life at Lehi, Utah.

A paratype has been assigned to the species: specimen AMNH 587 consisting of an incomplete hand also collected from Bone Cabin Quarry and originally in 1903 by Henry Fairfield Osborn referred to Ornitholestes hermanni.

[7] It cannot be determined whether or not the Cleveland-Lloyd specimen represents a fully mature adult, so the upper size limit for the taxon remains unknown.