Iguanodon

Name meaning:

Iguana tooth

Period of life:

126–120 mya

Period:

Cretaceous period

Habitat:

Lakes and marshes

Taxonomy:

Ornithopods

Countries:

Cretaceous period Iguanodon | 3D Dinopedia

Hybodus

Sinosauropteryx

Iguanodon (126–120 mya)

Iguanodon is one of the most famous herbivorous dinosaurs of the Cretaceous period. It lived approximately 126–120 million years ago and inhabited what is now Europe, where humid lowlands dominated, covered with coniferous forests, ferns, and other ancient vegetation.

Iguanodon played a key role in the history of paleontology. Its fossil remains were among the first that allowed scientists to attempt a reconstruction of a dinosaur’s appearance—long before Tyrannosaurus or Diplodocus were discovered. However, early reconstructions were incorrect: Iguanodon was depicted as a massive animal standing upright like a kangaroo, with a large «horn» on its nose. Only later did it become clear that this «horn» was actually a spike-like thumb claw of the forelimb.

Modern research shows that adult Iguanodon reached up to 11 meters in length, about 4 meters in height, and weighed up to 4.5 tonnes. It usually moved on four limbs, but could rise onto its hind legs when necessary to reach higher vegetation.

The forelimbs of Iguanodon had a complex and unusual structure. They consisted of five digits: the first was modified into a large, sharp spike, probably used for defense; the three middle digits ended in hoof-like structures and served for weight-bearing during locomotion; the fifth digit was deflected outward and was likely used to grasp and strip vegetation. When running, Iguanodon switched to bipedal locomotion and could reach speeds of up to 24 km/h, which was high for a large herbivorous dinosaur.

The skull of Iguanodon reached about one meter in length and in shape resembled the head of large modern herbivorous animals. The front of the snout was equipped with a keratinous beak used to crop leaves and shoots. The jaws contained more than fifty teeth, similar in shape to those of modern iguanas but much larger and more robust. This resemblance formed the basis of the dinosaur’s name — Iguanodon, meaning «iguana tooth».

A well-developed chewing apparatus allowed Iguanodon to efficiently grind plant material and extract maximum nutrients from it. Combined with a possible herd lifestyle, this likely contributed to the successful spread and ecological dominance of iguanodonts in the ecosystems of Early Cretaceous Europe.

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