200 Years of Iguanodon

The dinosaur that endured

Two hundred years ago, on 10th February 1825, a huge prehistoric animal was presented to the world for the first time. It was identified by doctor and geologist Gideon Mantell from large fossil teeth found in Sussex, England, by him and his wife Mary Ann. It was named – Iguanodon.

Iguanodon was only the second dinosaur scientifically described, after William Buckland’s Megalosaurus in 1824. In 1833, Mantell named another: the armoured Hylaeosaurus. It wasn’t until 1842 that comparative anatomist Richard Owen used Megalosaurus, Iguanodon and Hylaeosaurus to erect a new group of reptiles - the Dinosauria.

The fossils used to describe a new genus or species are called type specimens, and they form the template to which all subsequent discoveries are compared. However, the fossils figured in the description of Iguanodon were all teeth. As more fossils were found, scientists realised that these type specimens represented more than one species, making the original assignment of Iguanodon problematic. Normally this would result in the name becoming invalid, but as Iguanodon had become so iconic and historically important the name was kept. The accolade of ‘type specimen’ however, was transferred to a much more complete skeleton, found with many others deep in a coal mine in Bernissart, Belgium. A cast of this dinosaur is mounted in the Central Court.

This display will be available until 26th March 2025.

With thanks to Paul Barrett and Jeremy Lockwood for advice on taxonomy.

Fossilised vertebrae and tibia of Iguanodon with Gideon Mantell's handwriting
An iguana and iguana skull, shown as part of the Iguanodon display case
 

 

 

Map showing that the presenting case is just to the left, next to the help desk, as you enter the Oxford Natural History Museum through the main door.

You can find the Presenting Case next to the Welcome Desk; just to the left as you enter the Museum through the main entrance.