Name:
Ouranosaurus (Greek for "brave lizard"); pronounced ore-ANN-oh-SORE-us
Habitat:
Plains of northern Africa
Historical Period:
Middle Cretaceous (115-100 million years ago)
Size and Weight:
About 23 feet long and 4 tons
Diet:
Plants
Distinguishing Characteristics:
Row of spines jutting out from backbone; horned beak
About Ouranosaurus:
Once considered to be a close relative of Iguanodon, paleontologists have now classified Ouranosaurus as a type of hadrosaur (duck-billed dinosaur)--albeit one with a major difference. This herbivore had rows of spines jutting out vertically from its backbone, which has fueled speculation that it may have sported a sail, like Spinosaurus. However, some scientists believe that Ouranosaurus didn't have a sail, but a flattened hump, a bit like a modern camel. Pending more fossil discoveries, we may never know for sure.
