Vertebrae would have been joined together to form the vertebral column, providing fundamental support and movement to the body. We can gauge what animal the vertebra belonged to from the bone’s structure and shape. Caudal (referring to the tail and hind parts) vertebrae tend to be longer and narrower, like this specimen, whilst, the middle spinal vertebrae tend to be shorter, but with a body of greater radius – in a shape more similar to a disc.
Iguanodons were land dwelling herbivorous dinosaurs, part of a genus of a larger dinosaurs called Euornithopods or Ornithopods. Ornithopods were very successful herbivores that became extinct in the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event 66 million years ago. This mass extinction is believed to have been caused by an asteroid colliding into earth, and marked the extinction of all non-avian dinosaurs. They are notable in that they had a large thumb spike on their hand, probably to ward off predators.
Pyritisation occurs when an organism, submerged in marine sediments are saturated with iron sulfides. The animal decays and releases sulfide which then reacts with the iron minerals in the surrounding water. Pyrite then replaces the carbonate material.
