Species
Iguanodon bernissartensis
Iguanodon bernissartensisAlso known as Bernissart Iguanodon
Iguanodon bernissartensis was a versatile herbivore capable of shifting seamlessly between quadrupedal browsing on low ferns and rearing up bipedally to strip high foliage. Heavily reinforced jaws functioned like grinding shears, using tightly packed batteries of self-sharpening teeth to pulverize tough, fibrous vegetation. Massive conical thumb spikes provided formidable close-range defense against predatory theropods, while flexible fifth digits helped grasp branches and stems.
HerbivorousPrehistoricFossil Taxon
—observations
—countries
—peak records
ExtinctConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXExtinctRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preyFerns, Horsetails, Cycads
Predators
- Neovenator
- Baryonyx
ThreatsPredation by theropods, natural environmental shifts (extinct)
HabitatsFloodplains, river deltas, and subtropical open woodlands
Life spanEstimated 20–30 years
Classification
- FamilyIguanodontidae
- SpeciesIguanodon bernissartensis
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Extinct species known only from fossil remains; safe to observe in museum exhibits.
Responsible observation
- Museum Viewing: Observe the historic articulated skeletons at the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences.
- Anatomy Clues: Look closely at fossil casts to see the sharp, conical thumb spike once thought to be a horn.
- Trackway Analysis: Search for three-toed fossil trackways that reveal both quadrupedal and bipedal gaits.
Predator ケラトプスユウタ / CC BY-SA 4.0 · cc-by-sa
Neighbor (c) Ghedoghedo, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
Neighbor MWAK / Public domain · cc0
Neighbor G. M. Woodward / Public domain · cc0
Close Relative bryan... from Taipei, Taiwan / CC BY-SA 2.0 · cc-by-sa
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