Name:
Mantellisaurus (Greek for "Mantell's lizard"); pronounced MAN-tell-ih-SORE-us
Habitat:
Woodlands of western Europe
Historical Period:
Early Cretaceous (135-125 million years ago)
Size and Weight:
About 30 feet long and 3 tons
Diet:
Plants
Distinguishing Characteristics:
Long, flat head; streamlined body
About Mantellisaurus:
Well into the twenty-first century, paleontologists are still clearing up the confusion strewn by their well-meaning predecessors in the 1800's. A good example is Mantellisaurus, which until 2006 was classified as a species of Iguanodon--primarily because Iguanodon was discovered so early in the history of paleontology that every dinosaur that looked remotely like it was assigned to its genus.
Mantellisaurus corrects one of history's injustices in another way. The original fossil of Iguanodon was discovered by Gideon Mantell, who was subsequently upstaged by his mean-spirited rival Richard Owen. By naming this new genus of ornithopod after him, paleontologists have finally given Mantell the respect he deserves!
