The Dinosaurs - Pelorosaurus, an Isle of Wight basal titanosauriform

Pelorosaurus, an Isle of Wight basal titanosauriform

Meaning

Monstrous Lizard

Length

16m (52.5 ft)

Classification

Sauropoda Marsh, 1878
Somphospondyli
Wilson & Sereno, 1998

‘Pelorosaurus conybeari‘ Mantell, 1850

Locations

Brighstone Bay, which is quite vague, but is the best we can offer…

The only definitely identified specimen was a large right humerus from Cuckfield, West Sussex, near where Gideon Mantell found the first remains of Iguanodon (although this is now referred to as Mantellidon). This specimen was proportionally elongated, 0-shaped in cross-section and fairly straight, with proximally expanded ends and a well developed delto-pectoral crest. The only definite specimen from the island is a shaft of a left humerus found at Sandown, but this has no real defining features. Several assumed Pelorosaurus dorsal and caudal vertebrae from Brook bay were later referred to Iguanodon.

Material is rare, so please report it if you find some…

MANTELL, G. 1850. On the Pelorosaurus; an undescribed gigantic terrestrial reptile, whose remains are associated with those of the Iguanodon and other saurians in the strata of Tilgate Forest, in Sussex. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. 140, 379-390

NAISH, D. and MARTILL, D. M. 2001d. Saurischian dinosaurs 1: sauropods. In MARTILL, D. M. and NAISH, D (eds). Dinosaurs of the Isle of Wight. The Palaeontological Association. Field Guide to Fossils 10. 185-.241.

UPCHURCH, P., MANNION, P. D. & BARRETT, P. M. 2011. Sauropod dinosaurs. In BATTEN, D. J. (ed.) English Wealden Fossils. The Palaeontological Association (London), pp. 476-525.