Delapparentia turolensis, commonly known as the Delapparentia dinosaur, is a genus of basal ornithopods from the Late Cretaceous period of Europe. It is considered to be one of the earliest members of the Iguanodontidae family, which includes well known genera such as Iguanodon, Ouranosaurus, and Tenontosaurus. It was first described by Lapparent and Casamiquela in 1966. Delapparentia was an herbivorous animal that had a slender build and would have weighed up to 500 kilograms (1100 lbs). It was approximately 4–5 meters (13–16 feet) long. Its body was covered in white, downy feathers, but it does not appear to have had the more complex, webbed feathers associated with later iguanodontids.
The skull of Delapparentia was elongated and tube-shaped, with an elongated snout and prominent eyes. It had a long, thin neck, with a smaller head that was held close to the body. The jaws were strong, and the teeth were small and leaf-shaped. Delapparentia had a long tail which it may have used to support and maneuver its body when running. The forelimbs of Delapparentia were relatively long and robust, with short, curved fingers. The hands may have been used to grasp food, though no evidence is available to suggest their use for any other purpose. The hindlimbs were slightly shorter than the forelimbs and ended in large feet with five toes. No evidence of a horny hoof is present in Delapperentia fossils, suggesting that it had not yet evolved its namesake feature.
Delapparentia Facts :
| Name: | Delapparentia Dinosaurs |
| Size: | 4–5 meters (13–16 feet) |
| Main Facts: | It had a long, thin neck, with a smaller head that was held close to the body. |
As an early member of the Iguanodontidae family, Delapparentia was an important evolutionary link between earlier ornithopods and the later iguanodontids. It shows some similarities to later iguanodontids, including an enlarged hindlimb, elongated body, and short snout. However, it also shares some features with earlier ornithopods, such as a more primitive jaw structure, a lack of a hoof, and the presence of downy feathers. The fossil remains of Delapparentia have only been found in Spain and Portugal, though it may have inhabited other areas in Europe. Its closest relatives are the genera Ouranosaurus and Iguanodon, and it is also similar to the contemporary Tenontosaurus and Rhabdodon.
In conclusion, Delapparentia was a generated of basal ornithopod dinosaur that lived during the Late Cretaceous period. Its remains have only been found in Spain and Portugal, though it may have inhabited other areas in Europe. It was an herbivorous animal with a slender build, a long neck, and elongated body. Its skull was elongated and tube-shaped, and its feet were long and had five toes. Its closest relatives are the genera Ouranosaurus and Iguanodon, and it is an important evolutionary link between earlier ornithopods and later iguanodontids.
