In 2006, the new sauropod taxon was formally described as "Europasaurus holgeri". The given etymology for the genus name is "reptile from Europe", and the specific name honours Holger Lüdtke, the discoverer of the first fossils. Given the comparatively small size of the bones, it was initially assumed that they stem from juvenile individuals. The 2006 publication, however, established that the majority of specimens were adult, and that "Europasaurus" was an island dwarf. The number of individual sauropod bones had increased to 650 and include variously articulated individuals; the material was found within an area of squared. From these specimens, the holotype was selected, a disarticulated but associated individual (DFMMh/FV 291). The holotype includes multiple cranial bones (premaxilla, maxilla and quadratojugal), a partial braincase, multiple mandible bones (dentary, surangular and angular), large amounts of teeth, cervical vertebrae, sacral vertebrae and ribs from the neck and torso. At least 10 other individuals were referred to the same taxon based on overlap in material.