[D] Iguanodon mantelli
Describer
Meyer, 1832
Time
Cretaceous Early Berriasian Valanginian Hauterivian
Classification
Ornithischia Ornithopoda Iguanodontia Iguanodontidae
Diet
Herbivore
Fossilsite
Bauxite of Cornet, Judethaen Bihor, Romania
Fall Under
Mantellisaurus atherfieldensis
Info
Mantellisaurus atherfieldensis (Paul, 2006) > Iguanodon atherfieldensis (Hooley, 1924) > Iguanodon mantelli (Meyer, 1832) Vectisaurus valdensis (Hulke, 1879) Therosaurus mantelli (Fitzinger, 1840) Sphenospondylus gracilis (Seeley, 1882) Heterosaurus neocomiensis (Cornual, 1850 partim).
Carpenter & Ishida (2010) Early and “Middle” Cretaceous Iguanodonts in Time and Space Journal of Iberian Geology 36 (2) 145-164
“Iguanodon” mantelli von Meyer 1832 = Iguanodon atherfieldensis (part)
Locality
Maidstone, Kent County;
Horizon
Hythe Formation (Lydekker 1888b), Wessex Formation
Age
Aptian (Ruffell 1992)
Comments
The issue of the currently accepted type of Iguanodon, as Iguanodon bernissartensis, does not resolve the status of the Maidstone specimen (BMNH R3741). The ilium differs significantly from that of Iguanodon bernissartensis, as well as that of Mantellisaurus atherfieldensis to which is has often been referred (e.g., Norman 1993).
It differs in that the body is very deep above the acetabulum, the dorsal margin is arched, the preacetabular process lacks a medial shelf, the postacetabular process is a short, deep triangle lacking a brevis shelf, but it does have a small, triangular, lateral process.
The ischial peduncle is expanded onto the lateral surface of the ilium. Overall, the ilium is closest in appearance to that of Equijubus from the Albian of China (see above) and Fukuisaurus from the Hauterivian of Japan, yet differs in the proportionally longer postacetabular process, shallower acetabular notch, and short pubic peduncle. It is unfortunate that type designation was overturned by the ICZN (2000) ruling because this unique taxon is without generic designation.
Although a new genus name could be proposed, this would essentially be creating a new name for a previously acknowledge holotype. It would be preferable to petition the ICZN to overturn their previous ruling, and only if that failed to propose a new generic name. A second specimen from the Wessex Formation of the Isle of Wight resembles the ilium of \\\"Iguanodon\\\" mantelli more than it does any of the ilia of Mantellisaurus atherfieldensis to which it has been referred (Martill and Naish, 2001). It differs in a distal expansion of the preacetabular process and continuous arc of the dorsal surface over the postacetabular process.
Meyer, 1832
Time
Cretaceous Early Berriasian Valanginian Hauterivian
Classification
Ornithischia Ornithopoda Iguanodontia Iguanodontidae
Diet
Herbivore
Fossilsite
Bauxite of Cornet, Judethaen Bihor, Romania
Fall Under
Mantellisaurus atherfieldensis
Info
Mantellisaurus atherfieldensis (Paul, 2006) > Iguanodon atherfieldensis (Hooley, 1924) > Iguanodon mantelli (Meyer, 1832) Vectisaurus valdensis (Hulke, 1879) Therosaurus mantelli (Fitzinger, 1840) Sphenospondylus gracilis (Seeley, 1882) Heterosaurus neocomiensis (Cornual, 1850 partim).
Carpenter & Ishida (2010) Early and “Middle” Cretaceous Iguanodonts in Time and Space Journal of Iberian Geology 36 (2) 145-164
“Iguanodon” mantelli von Meyer 1832 = Iguanodon atherfieldensis (part)
Locality
Maidstone, Kent County;
Horizon
Hythe Formation (Lydekker 1888b), Wessex Formation
Age
Aptian (Ruffell 1992)
Comments
The issue of the currently accepted type of Iguanodon, as Iguanodon bernissartensis, does not resolve the status of the Maidstone specimen (BMNH R3741). The ilium differs significantly from that of Iguanodon bernissartensis, as well as that of Mantellisaurus atherfieldensis to which is has often been referred (e.g., Norman 1993).
It differs in that the body is very deep above the acetabulum, the dorsal margin is arched, the preacetabular process lacks a medial shelf, the postacetabular process is a short, deep triangle lacking a brevis shelf, but it does have a small, triangular, lateral process.
The ischial peduncle is expanded onto the lateral surface of the ilium. Overall, the ilium is closest in appearance to that of Equijubus from the Albian of China (see above) and Fukuisaurus from the Hauterivian of Japan, yet differs in the proportionally longer postacetabular process, shallower acetabular notch, and short pubic peduncle. It is unfortunate that type designation was overturned by the ICZN (2000) ruling because this unique taxon is without generic designation.
Although a new genus name could be proposed, this would essentially be creating a new name for a previously acknowledge holotype. It would be preferable to petition the ICZN to overturn their previous ruling, and only if that failed to propose a new generic name. A second specimen from the Wessex Formation of the Isle of Wight resembles the ilium of \\\"Iguanodon\\\" mantelli more than it does any of the ilia of Mantellisaurus atherfieldensis to which it has been referred (Martill and Naish, 2001). It differs in a distal expansion of the preacetabular process and continuous arc of the dorsal surface over the postacetabular process.