OURANOSAURUS: Useful Things

Though placed in the Iguanodont Family, Ouranosaurus was becoming a Duck-billed Dinosaur (Hadrosaur). This was not that unusual since scientists believe that the Iguanodont Family was the transition point from “Beaked” Dinosaurs to Duck-billed Ones. Ouranosaurus had the wide-mouth of the Hadrosaur Family, but not their specialized teeth. Moreover, He had a smaller “thumb” spike, and a less flexible “pinky” finger than Iguanodon.      Ouranosaurus lived along the river deltas in the lowlands. Unlike the more versatile Iguanodon, He only ate low lying plants.

            What made Ouranosaurus noteworthy was his “sail hump,” which was flat and short. The neural spines along his back vertebrae indicated that the “sail hump” was more than a simple flap of skin. Through the years, paleontologists have pondered what it was used for. Their usual explanation is that it was to regulate his temperature, since other animals in hot areas often developed often sails. Their sails collected heat for cool times, and expelled heat during warm times.  Adding to this mystery was that only a few unrelated Dinosaurs had a sail.

            Curiosity over Ouranosaurus’ “sail hump” spawned more ideas. One theory posited that it was for recognizing others in his group, and for sexual purposes. Perhaps the “sail hump” was an adaption to living in North Africa, where the fossils of Ouranosaurus were found. There may have been times when Ouranosaurus was forced to go without eating or drinking. Therefore He could have used his “sail hump” the way Camel uses hers to store food.

            I like to think that Ouranosaurus used his “sail hump” for a lot of things. In nature, the adaptations of plants and animals usually serve many purposes. Ouranosaurus can teach us how to use one thing in many ways. Therefore, He does not need to possess a lot of things, but just only a versatile one. With it, He can accomplish many things. Let Ouranosaurus teach you how to invent new uses for your possessions. Have Him help you ponder the multiple uses of a spoon.

IGUANODON: Question Authority 2 of 2)

Tail should be straight out.

So what does Iguanodon looks like now? Weighing about 3.5 tons (3 metric tons), She stood 33 feet (13 meters) tall. Her front hands had three stiff fingers to bear her weight, when Iguanodon walked on all fours. Besides her “thumb” spike, She also had a dexterous “pinkie” finger. As Iguanodon aged, She would spend more time walking on four legs instead of two.

            People have been entranced by Iguanodon in her many forms. Her statue at the Crystal Palace once awed children and their parents. Then, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle had Her star in his novel, “The Lost World.” Bcause one of her fossils was found there, the borough of Maidstone, Kent placed Iguanodon on their coat of arms. In modern times, Disney featured a male Iguanodon as a hero in the movie “Dinosaur.”

            Iguanodon introduced people to Dinosaurs, and then gently prodded them to reconsider their own ideas. She led people to consider the unimaginable, and then to make it real. Since She is not satisfied with the status quo, Iguanodon urged scientists to rethink their theories.. Let Iguanodon gently question your assumptions as She questions authority.

IGUANODON: Question Authority (1 of 2)

Incorrect view of Iguanodon

As only the second Dinosaur to be discovered, Iguanodon reflects the development of the science of paleontology. In fact when She was named by Gideon Mantell in 1825, “Dinosaurs” were still an unknown concept. He had named Her for her iguana-like teeth, and regarded her “thumb” spike to be a nose horn similar to an Iguana.

In 1842, Sir Richard Owen, a creationist, in order to rebut various theories of evolution, created the Dinosaur Order (Dinosauria) from Iguanodon, Megalosaurus, and Hylaeosaurus. In contrast to the prevailing thought that these extinct animals were Reptiles, Owen reconstructed Iguanodon as a huge four-footed Mammal. Meanwhile, Mantell had the revolutionary concept that Iguanodon was a plant eater, when naturalists at this time regarded Dinosaurs to be only giant carnivores.

            These varying images formed the first pictures of Iguanodon for the public. Depicted as a lumbering low-slung animal, Iguanodon was displayed with her “thumb” spike on her nose. The life-size reconstruction of Iguanodon, at the Crystal Palace in London in 1852, resembled an Elephant with sharp teeth. This particular depiction of her became firmly entrenched in the public’s mind.

            This image changed in 1878, when a group of Iguanodon fossils was discovered in a mine in Belgium. When these fossils were finally reconstructed, scientists realized that Iguanodon looked much different from what they initially thought. In his models, Louis Dollo presented her new image to the public. Resembling a giant Wallaby, Iguanodon stood upright on her hind legs, while balancing on her long tail. Dollo moved her nose horn to the end of her hand for her “thumb” spike. Dollo’s presentation of Her lasted for an hundred years.

            In the 1980s as paleontologists re-examined their ideas of Dinosaurs, they realized that they were wrong about Iguanodon. If She had sat on her tail, it would have broken in two. Meanwhile, other new discoveries revealed that Dinosaurs had stiff tails that they held high off the ground. Having a stiffened tail meant that Iguanodon could walk on two feet or four feet, as She chose. Since Iguanodon could do this, She could search for both low lying plants and ones at the tree tops.

DINOSAURS: IGUANODONT FAMILY (“ADVANCED BEAKED” ORNITHOPODS): Mirror to the Self

Usually grouped with the Hypsilophodonts, Iguanodonts are considered to be the more advanced of the “Beaked Dinosaur” (Ornithopoda) Family. Considerably larger than Hypsilophodonts, Iguanodonts switched from walking around on two legs to going about four legs. With their toothless beaks and specialized jaws, these Dinosaurs not only could eat a wide variety of plants, but also break their food down more efficiently.

            As one of the first groups of Dinosaurs ever to be discovered, the Iguanodon Family is also one of the best known. Being a relatively successful Family, They lived from the middle Jurassic to the late Cretaceous (about 100 million years). However, paleontologists considered this Family to be a “waste basket” (artificial) grouping of Dinosaurs, who were neither completely Duck-billed nor “Primitive Beaked” Dinosaurs. Moreover, cladistics revealed that this group display the evolution of Dinosaurs from Hypsilophodonts (“Primitive Beaked” Dinosaurs) to Hadrosaurs (Duck-billed Dinosaurs).

            The Iguanodont Family reflects the growth in people’s knowledge of Dinosaurs from the first historical discovery to modern times. As we learned more about Dinosaurs, this Family became the measuring stick for our growth in wisdom. Acting as the mirror to ourselves, the Iguanodont Family tells us where we have succeeded or failed. When we want an honest assessment of ourselves, we look to this Family for what next They will reveal to us.

HYPSILOPHODON: Speed

Note: Front claws may be incorrect.

Discovered in 1849 on the Isle of Wight, Hypsilophodon was first mistaken for a small Iguanodon. Since both species were considered to be “Beaked Dinosaurs” (Ornithopoda), confusion about who was who was common in the early days of paleontology. Finally in 1874, scientists decided that She was a different Genus from Iguanodon. However paleontologists continued to make erroneous assumptions about Hypsilophodon. For example, they believed that She climbed trees like Tree Kangaroo. Then in 1970, paleontologists re-examined their theories about Her. They realized that Hypsilophodon was a fast runner who could not climb trees.

            Once scientists sorted out who Hypsilophodon was, they were amazed by her speed. Besides being small and light, She had long and slender legs. Using her strong thigh muscles, Hypsilophodon could dodge and dart between the larger Dinosaurs. While running on her two feet, She held her long tail straight out for balance. Built for speed, Hypsilophodon could execute sharp maneuvers.

            When faced with the need for a speedy getaway or to avoid being crushed by something larger than you, look to Hypsilophodon for help. Let Her show you how to zip around with ease. Also learn from Her how to finesse tricky corners. When speed is needed, what better teacher than Hypsilophodon?