About Camptosaurus
| Scientific Name (Genus) | Camptosaurus |
| Meaning of Name | Bent lizard kamptos (flexible, bent) [Greek] - saurus (lizard) [Greek] |
| Classification | Ornithischia, Ornithopoda (Camptosauridae) |
| Total Length | Approx. 5-7m |
| Diet | Herbivorous |
| Period | Late Jurassic - Early Cretaceous |
| Species | Camptosaurus dispar Camptosaurus aphanoecetes Camptosaurus hoggii Camptosaurus prestwichii |
| Year of Paper Publication | 1885 |
| Genus Name Publication | Marsh, O.C. (1885). Names of extinct reptiles. American Journal of Science, 29. |
Characteristics
Camptosaurus was a dinosaur that lived in North America and Europe from the Late Jurassic to the Early Cretaceous. It was formerly known as Camptonotus.
It is considered an ornithopod that was in an evolutionary stage between primitive ornithopods like Hypsilophodon and more advanced ones like Iguanodon.
It had a build similar to Iguanodon but differed in features such as having four toes on its hind feet (its forefeet had five fingers, the same as Iguanodon).
The edges of Camptosaurus's teeth had small ridges, which likely made it easy to bite through leaves and stems. To digest large quantities of leaves and twigs, it had a large stomach, resulting in a rather stout torso.
It was a widespread and successful genus that survived the Late Jurassic—a time when Allosaurus, Ceratosaurus, Apatosaurus, and Stegosaurus roamed—and continued into the Early Cretaceous. Unlike Apatosaurus, it did not have a large body, and unlike Stegosaurus, it lacked defensive weapons. Camptosaurus specialized in escape.
Bipedal or Quadrupedal? Exploring Its Ecology
Camptosaurus had sturdy hind limbs and comparatively shorter forelimbs. This suggests that it usually walked on two legs, but would switch to a quadrupedal stance, placing its forelimbs on the ground, when eating low-lying plants.
The name 'bent lizard' originally came from the appearance of its sacrum (hip bones), which seemed curved. In reality, its femur (thigh bone) was robust and slightly curved to support its weight. These strong legs may have enabled it to quickly escape from large carnivorous dinosaurs like Allosaurus.
Difference from Iguanodon: While Iguanodon had a sharp thumb spike, the thumb claw of Camptosaurus was not as large and was likely not effective as a weapon. This further supports the theory that it primarily defended itself by fleeing.
Fossil Discovery
In September 1879, American fossil collector William Harlow Reed discovered a small ornithopod fossil in Albany County, Wyoming.
In the same year, Othniel Charles Marsh discovered a sacrum and vertebrae (specimen YPM 1877) and named it Camptonotus, but renamed it Camptosaurus in 1885. The name Camptonotus was already in use for a genus of insect.
Fossils believed to belong to Camptosaurus have also been found in Europe.
"Iguanodon hoggii," originally described as a species of Iguanodon in 1874, was reclassified as Camptosaurus in 2002. "Camptosaurus prestwichii" is an ornithopod dinosaur excavated in Oxfordshire, England. It was also initially described as a species of Iguanodon in 1880 but was reclassified as Camptosaurus in 1889.
Camptosaurus Stamp & Fossil Gallery
