Dinosaur Facts: Iguanodon Facts
Iguanodon was a large herbivorous dinosaur that while not the oldest, biggest, or most famous holds a special place in the minds of dinosaur fans. It was one of the very first ever dinosaurs to be discovered along with megalosaurus over 200 years ago. Discovered so long ago the word dinosaur had not even been invented yet. We take a look at some iguanodon facts below.
Although iguanodon has been theorized to be up to 43 feet long in some research the commonly held position is that it was a 26 to 30 feet long, 7000 lbs. herbivorous that lived in what is now Northern Europe 126-122 million years ago. It was one of the first ever dinosaurs to be discovered and classified as a dinosaur.
We have 25 or so facts about the iguanodon below, and if you are in a rush at the top there are quick facts about iguanodon right below this.
A Quick Note about Iguanodon in Jurassic World Dominion
In the prologue to Jurassic World Dominion iguanodon is shown reacting in fear to the sight of either a Tyrannosaurus -rex or a Giganotosaurus, in fact it all three of these dinosaurs lived at different times separated by million of years, and on different continents separated by thousands of miles. Still it looks cool!
Iguanodon Quick Facts
- Iguanodon was a large herbivore and could weigh over 7000 lbs. ( 3400 kg)
- Iguanodon when fully grown was between 26 and 30 feet long, and bulky as well.
- Iguanodon was around 2 metres (6.5 feet) tall at the hips, put to its head or back it could be up to 2.7 metres tall which is almost 9 feet tall ( 8.8 feet)
- There is currently no evidence that Iguanodon had feathers. there have been no fossils discovered that show imprints or quills that may have suggested proto feathers.
- Iguanodon was a herbivore dinosaur, It would have been a low to medium grazer and had the ability to stand on two legs and get higher food as well.
- Iguanodon, on two legs, could probably run up to 15-20 kilometers an hour, or about 10-14 miles an hour.
- Iguanodon was not the first dinosaur discovered, however it is one of the three first that would be classified as dinosaurs.
- Iguanodon is a pretty easy dinosaur name to pronounce it has 4 syllables and is said like this. Ig – Guar – Nuh – Don
How big was the Iguanodon?
Iguanodon was a large herbivore and could weigh over 7000 lbs. ( 3400 kg) if its biggest species (iguanodon bernissartensis) and when fully grown be 30 feet long (9 metres). There is even suggestions of iguanodon reaching 43 feet (13 metres) which for any non sauropod herbivore is huge.
How heavy was the Iguanodon ?
Iguanodon could weigh over 7000 lbs when fully grown, which was 26 to 30 ft long. Although if the suggestion that 43 feet long iguanodon’s is correct hen this would be much more heavy, possibly up to 15,000 lbs.
How long was the Iguanodon?
Iguanodon when fully grown was between 26- 30 feet long and quite bulky.
How tall was the Iguanodon ?
Iguanodon was around 2 metres (6.5 feet) tall at the hips, put to its head or back it could be up to 2.7 metres tall which is almost 9 feet tall ( 8.8 feet) when on its hind legs it would have been even taller perhaps up to 16 feet tall.
Did The Iguanodon Walk on 2 or 4 legs?
iguanodon was thought for many years to be a four legged (quadruped) dinosaur that would move on all four legs. It wasn’t until 1878 when many more fossils were found in amine in Belgium when it was found to be likely a dinosaur that walked on both its back and front legs, but also just on its back legs.
So originally it was pictured as moving on 4 legs, then it was over corrected into what can only be described as a 30 ft long kangaroo! and finally, and hopefully more accurately, to a dinosaur that used both its front and back legs to move around.
Did Iguanodon have feathers?
There is currently no evidence that Iguanodon had feathers. there have been no fossils discovered that show imprints or quills that may have suggested proto feathers. it did have a beak like mouth, but its seems that’s the extent of the bird like traits iguanodon presented.
What was Iguanodon Habitat?
Fossils of Iguanodon have been found next to the remains of prehistoric lakes and it is thought to have lived in the forests surrounding them. the fossils were thought to be the aftermath of flash floods that caught the dinosaurs while drinking or eating close to the lake and rivers.
What Did Iguanodon eat?
Iguanodon was a herbivore dinosaur, despite being thought as a crocodile very early on after its discovery. It would have been a low to medium grazer and had the ability to stand on two legs and get higher food as well.
What dinosaurs did Iguanodon live with?
Iguanodon was likely the dominant herbivore in its environment, but it dis live with other dinosaurs. predators would have included baryonyx, Eotyrannus, neovenator and aristosuchus.
herbivores that shared its environment included polacanthus, pelorosaurus, and hypsilophodon.
What Dinosaurs Were Iguanodon related to?
There are many Iguanotidontid dinosaurs, which went on to be some of the most successful of all dinosaurs. These include:
- Ouranosaurus
- Camptosaurus
- Hippodraco
- iguanacolossus
Did Iguanodon live in herds.
Although fossils of Iguanodon have been found together and close to each other, even from perhaps as little as 100 years apart, there is no direct evidence of herding behaviour. Usually fossils of herds will include young dinosaurs, and this is not the case with Iguanodon
How Fast Could the Iguanodon Run?
Iguanodon, on two legs, could probably run up to 15-20 kilometers an hour, or about 10-14 miles an hour. On four legs it would have been slower as their legs were different lengths and builds and it would not have been able to sprint or gallop.
Was Iguanodon the First Dinosaur?
Iguanodon was not the first dinosaur discovered, however it is one of the three first that would be classified as dinosaurs. the first discovered and named dinosaur was the megalosaurus and then the Iguanodon.
It was actually discovered before here was even a word for these huge lizards, the term Dinosaur didn’t exist before 1841 when Richard Owen came up with the name.
What Movies Have Featured a Iguanodon?
As Iguanodon was one of the first ever dinosaurs to be discovered it has appeared in quite a few forms of media at one stage there was even a meeting held in a replica Iguanodon. ( though at the time it was thought to be more like an elephant with a horn on its nose!
Movies it has appeared in include:
- Dinosaur by Disney
- Land before time series
- Most recently in the Jurassic World dominion Movie
When Did the Iguanodon become Extinct?
The Iguanodon fossils so far discovered point to it going extinct around 122 million years ago. they have been dated from 126-122 million years old.
Could the Iguanodon Swim?
The environment that iguanodontid lived was likely next to water sources like rivers and lakes, and even though fossils have been discovered thought to be a result of being caught in flash floods the Iguanodon probably had basic swimming ability, bit there is no suggestion it was in any way a water based dinosaur.
What does the name Iguanodon Mean?
Iguanodon Name means “iguana Tooth” and was given to the dinosaur in 1825 by Gideon Mantell. it was almost named iguanasaurus until William Conybeare suggested alternatives as the currently living iguana could actually be called iguanasaurus.
We have coloring pages to download from the below link ( click the picture)
How Long was Iguanodon Thumb Spike?
The tumbspike of iguanodon could be from 5 to 15 cm (2 to 6 inches) long and is thought to be used as a weapon. The size of the spike differed between the different species of iguanodon, depending on the size of the dinosaur.
What Did Iguanodon use its Thumb Spike for?
Iguanodon is famous for its Spiked thumb, that could be, depending on the species, from 2 to 6 inches long (5 to 15 cm). It was incorrectly but on the nose in early versions of iguanodon, this has happened a few times to other dinosaurs.
Most theories lean towards the thumb spike being used as a weapon to defend against predators, though the most widely though reason for the thumb spike it is not the only one,
it has been suggested it was poisonous, used in fights over mates and even used as a tool to break open seeds and fruits, though fruits were really only just evolving at that time. Iguanodon lived so it would have been relatively quick evolution if that the case.
Where were Iguanodon Fossils discovered?
Iguanodon has been discovered primarily in Northern Europe, in what is now England, Belgium and Germany.
When did Iguanodon Live?
It lived during the Early Cretaceous period about 126 to 122 million years ago in what is now England and Northern Europe. However in its family other species of iguanodon have been found to have lived from the late Jurassic to early Cretaceous periods.
When was Iguanodon first Discovered?
Iguanodon was one of the first dinosaurs to be discovered. The story goes that gideon Mantell was visiting patients, he was a doctor, and his wife was talking in the tilgate forest in Sussex, England and discovered fossils of iguanodon. this was in 1822, Later Mantel admitted he found them, it is not sure why there is confusion over this.
All though these teeth were thought to be a variety of animals from mammals to fish! they were eventually, after considerable effort assigned to dinosauria and named iguanodon.
Who named the Iguanodon ?
Iguanodon was named by its finder ( though was possibly his wife) Gideon Mantell in 1825. In Sussex, England. It was found in 1822, but this was before the term dinosaur was used. before being classed as a dinosaur it was thought to be a crocodile, a fish or a prehistoric rhino!
Mantell originally wanted to name it iguanosaurus, but was later encouraged to rename it to iguanoides or iguanodon by William Daniel Conybeare. He chose iguanodon is 1825.
How to Pronounce Iguanodon?
Iguanodon is a pretty easy dinosaur name to pronounce it has 4 syllables and is said like this. Ig – Guar – Nuh – Don
Ig – Guar – Nuh – Don
Conclusion
One of the first ever dinosaurs to be discovered certainly deserves to be learned about. Although the second ever discovered dinosaur, it is the first herbivorous dinosaur to be found, and although it may be lesser known now than other more “exciting” dinosaurs, its always good to remember how all of this started.
We can look to the future and the new species that are found almost weekly and enjoy that we are learning so much more every day, but looking back at dinosaurs like iguanodon and megalosaurus and the Hylaeosaurus, ( bet you have never heard of that… its like asking the question who was the third person on the moon….) is always worth out time.
Our knowledge of dinosaurs came from these 3 first, and like an old painting or a nokia 3300 sometimes it good to look at the past to remember where it all started.
Don’t forget to look over the rest of our dinosaur facts pages, our coloring and facts sheets are also free to download. We have popular dinosaurs Like triceratops, gallimimus and parasaurolophus to some less well known ones that are appearing in the new Jurassic World dominion movies.
There are answers to common dinosaur questions, and loads of other cool dinosaur activities and resources to look at. Just check them out on the big button below.
References
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2009/feb/07/first-dinosaurs-late-triassic
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iguanodon
https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/dino-directory/iguanodon.html
https://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/dinosaurs/dinofossils/First.shtml
Hi, I am Roy Ford a General Studies and English Teacher who has taught all over the world. What started as a fossil collection became a great way to teach, motivate and inspire students of all ages and all over the world about dinosaurs and from that and children’s love of dinosaurs came the site dinosaur facts for kids, a resource for all ages.
