#iguanodonts

[antiqueanimals]

An... interesting theory about Iguanodon in Animal Ghosts. Edited by Claudia Clow. Illustrated by Walt Disney Productions. 1971.

Internet Archive

[vensosaurus]

[antiqueanimals]

Cool Weather by William Stout. 1981. From Terra: The Member's Magazine of The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. Volume 24, No. 3. January/February 1986.

Internet Archive

[welcometojurassicworld]

It suddenly dawned on me that I had never posted the final pencil-only version of my Iguanodon bernissartensis.

[welcometojurassicworld]

Jurassic Park: Animal Bios #20 - Maiasaura

The hadrosaurid that taught us that dinosaurs could be good parents, it’s Maiasaura peeblesorum.

Maiasaura was a fairly generic hadrosaurid dinosaur, but it is much, much more significant in the world of paleontology. In 1979, a woman named Laurie Trexler discovered the first Maiasaura fossil in Montana, in what would later be known as “Egg Mountain”. It was named this because of the numerous fossil Maiasaura eggs that have been found there, along with even baby Maiasaura fossils. Over 200 Maiasaura fossils have been found there, and it renewed interest in the nurturing and parental habits of dinosaurs, and answered many questions that had been asked about dinosaur nesting habits. Although this dinosaur is most recognized because of its maternal connotations, its discovery showed us that this is probably how many hadrosaurids behaved when it came to rearing their young.

NAME MEANING: Caring Mother Lizard DIET: Herbivorous TEMPORAL RANGE: Late Cretaceous Period LOCATION: USA, North America HEIGHT: 8ft (2.5m) LENGTH: 30ft (9m) WEIGHT: 1t (2000lbs)

Within the Jurassic Park universe

In the novels

Like all other animals created by InGen, Maiasaura was cloned originally on Isla Sorna, and then specimens were transported to Isla Nublar for Jurassic Park. After the park failed, all remaining Maiasaura on Nublar were killed in the resultant napalm bombings. The remaining specimens on Sorna were abandoned by the staff, and were forced to learn to live on their own.

*Note: The above image is fan speculation and should not be considered canon. Crichton never explains the appearance of Hadrosaurus in his novels.

BEHAVIOR: Seemingly docile, easily frightened. Herd-dwelling animals; can be seen in large groups of 30 individuals or more. Coexist well with other herbivores, regardless of relation. Although they have a calm demeanor, parent Maiasaura will violently attack any threats to their offspring.

Jurassic Park (1990)

At the beginning of the events of Jurassic Park, 22 Maiasaura were living on Isla Nublar. They lived in a paddock known as the Sauropod Swamp along with Hadrosaurus, Apatosaurus, and “Microceratops” (sic). Maiasaura was one of the few dinosaurs in the park that could breed (due to frog DNA used in their genetic code). This causes confusion early on, because 22 animals are detected in the park even though the expected population was 21. Breeding behavior is later observed by Dr. Grant. At some point, a mother Maiasaura and her infant awaken Grant and the Murphy children while they are sleeping in a tree. Grant observes the animals closely, and notice that their vision is based on movement. When Lex moves to get down from the tree, the two animals are frightened away. 20 Maiasaura remain in the park by the end of the novel, and the remaining are killed when the island is napalmed.

The Lost World (1995)

The Maiasaura in The Lost World nest on the east side of Isla Sorna. Dr. Lewis Dodgson and co. steal two Maiasaura eggs from their nests at some point, by scaring the adults away with loudspeakers. However, back at the InGen Village, the humans are (uncharacteristically) viciously attacked by the parent Maiasauras, whom gently retrieve their eggs. 

[welcometojurassicworld]

Jurassic Park: Animal Bios #12 - Dryosaurus

Small, inconsequential, but still noteworthy and a part of the franchise, meet Dryosaurus altus.

There’s really nothing special about Dryosaurus, as far as dinosaurs go. It was a small ornithopod that lived in the late Jurassic, and most likely lived in large groups. Like the hadrosaurids, dryosaurids and other ornithopods of the like had no defense mechanism other than their agility and their sheer numbers. As sad as it may be to hear, Dryosaurus was likely a prey animal, on the last link of the food chain. In Crichton’s first novel, the Dryosaurus were misidentified as a type of hypsilophodontid dinosaur.

NAME MEANING: Oak Lizard DIET: Herbivorous TEMPORAL RANGE: Late Jurassic Period LOCATION: Western USA HEIGHT: 4ft (1.2m) LENGTH: 9ft (3m) WEIGHT: 200lbs

Within the Jurassic Park universe

In the novels

Dryosaurus had no special origin; It was created on Isla Sorna by InGen with the rest of the animals cloned for Jurassic Park. They were later transported to Isla Nublar to the actual park. Once Jurassic Park failed, they were abandoned and most likely died when Isla Nublar was napalmed. The specimens on Isla Sorna were left to live on their own.

APPEARANCE: Described to be mostly dark green in colour, and covered in mottled brown spots. BEHAVIOR: Not really known, but can be assumed to be skittish, small prey animals. The only individual described in the novel was sick, and was behaving sluggishly.

Jurassic Park (1990)

Only one individual Dryosaurus is mentioned in the first novel. It appears to be sick, its head hung in a sling, its tongue hanging out, and its eyes glassy and dull. Upon having a light shone on it, it coughs and sluggishly moves across the field in its paddock, away from the lights.

[infinitemachine]

Dinosaur of the Day: Altirhinus kurzanovi by DiBgd Altirhinus "High snout" Superfamily: Hadrosauroidea Time: Early Cretaceous Location: Mongolia Size (length): 6.5m (21ft)