About Iguanodon bernissartensis
Iguanodon bernissartensis
Overview
Iguanodon, meaning "iguana tooth," is one of the most historically important dinosaurs ever discovered! It was among the first dinosaurs to be scientifically named and helped define what a "dinosaur" even is! Living during the Early Cretaceous period, about 126-122 million years ago, this large herbivore is famous for its thumb spikes—weapons that scientists once put on its nose!
Taxonomy & Classification
- Clade: Ornithopoda
- Family: Iguanodontidae
- Diet: Herbivorous
- Locomotion: Bipedal and quadrupedal
Iguanodon was one of the three original dinosaurs used to define the group Dinosauria!
Physical Characteristics
Large Ornithopod
- Length: 9-11 meters (30-36 feet)
- Weight: 4,000-5,000 kg (4-5 tons)
- Height: About 3 meters (10 feet) at hip
- Build: Heavy but agile
The Famous Thumb Spike
- Large, conical spike on each hand
- Made of solid bone
- About 15 cm (6 inches) long
- Used for defense against predators
- Or possibly for foraging
- Scientists first thought it went on the nose!
Historic Discovery
One of the First Dinosaurs Named!
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1822 | Mary Ann Mantell finds teeth |
| 1825 | Gideon Mantell names Iguanodon |
| 1842 | Richard Owen creates "Dinosauria" |
| 1878 | 38 skeletons found in Belgium! |
Iguanodon was the second dinosaur ever scientifically named (after Megalosaurus)!
The Nose Spike Mistake
Getting It Wrong at First
Early scientists had problems:
- First reconstruction put the spike on the nose!
- Like a rhinoceros horn
- Looked completely wrong
- Belgian discoveries in 1878 fixed this
- Showed spike belonged on the thumb!
- A famous example of science self-correcting
Walking Style
Two Legs or Four?
Iguanodon was versatile:
- Could walk on two legs (bipedal)
- Or on all fours (quadrupedal)
- Used two legs for speed and reaching food
- Used four legs for grazing and resting
- Middle three fingers had hoof-like nails
- Pinky finger was flexible for grabbing plants
Feeding & Diet
Specialized Plant Eater
Iguanodon was built for eating:
- Horny beak in front (no front teeth)
- Grinding teeth in cheeks
- Could chew food (unlike sauropods)
- Ate ferns, cycads, conifers
- Possibly early flowering plants
The Belgian Bonanza
38 Skeletons at Once!
In 1878, coal miners in Belgium discovered:
- 38 Iguanodon skeletons together!
- One of the greatest fossil finds ever
- Found 322 meters underground
- Showed herd behavior
- Allowed scientists to understand the animal properly
Defining "Dinosaur"
One of the Original Three
In 1842, Richard Owen created "Dinosauria" using:
- Megalosaurus (carnivore)
- Iguanodon (herbivore)
- Hylaeosaurus (armored dinosaur)
These three defined what a dinosaur is!
Found Across Europe
Wide Distribution
Iguanodon fossils discovered in:
- England (first discovery)
- Belgium (best specimens)
- Germany
- Spain
- France
- One of the most widespread Cretaceous dinosaurs!
The Crystal Palace Iguanodon
Victorian Dinosaur Sculptures
- In 1854, life-size statues built in London
- Based on wrong ideas about Iguanodon
- Shown as four-legged rhino-like creature
- Scientists had dinner inside the model!
- Still standing today in Crystal Palace Park
Cool Facts
- The thumb spike was first placed on the nose—for 50 years!
- 38 skeletons found in one Belgian coal mine
- One of the three original dinosaurs that defined the group
- Could walk on two or four legs
- Named because teeth looked like iguana teeth
- Victorian scientists had dinner inside a model of it!
- Is Belgium's most famous dinosaur
- Mary Ann Mantell found the first teeth—her husband got the credit!
Iguanodon helped create the very idea of "dinosaurs" as we know them—a historically important animal that scientists got spectacularly wrong before getting right!
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