Sellacoxa Facts
Pronunciation: sell-ah-COCK-sah
Name meaning: Saddle hip
| Diet | Herbivore |
| Height | 2.5m |
| Length | 7m |
| Weight | 2.5 tonnes |
| Speed | 25 km/h |
| Environment | Land |
| Era | Cretaceous |
| Period | Early Cretaceous |
| Type | Ornithopod |
| Location | England |
Sellacoxa was a medium-sized ornithopod dinosaur that roamed the lush forests and plains of Early Cretaceous England around 135 million years ago. This herbivorous dinosaur was originally classified as a species of Iguanodon before being recognised as its own distinct genus in 2010, following detailed study of fossil remains discovered on the Isle of Wight.
Measuring approximately 7 metres in length and standing about 2.5 metres tall at the hip, Sellacoxa was built for both bipedal walking and occasional quadrupedal movement. Its name, meaning 'saddle hip', refers to the distinctive shape of its pelvic bones, which helped palaeontologists distinguish it from its famous relative Iguanodon. The dinosaur possessed the characteristic features of its ornithopod group, including a beak-like mouth for cropping vegetation and rows of grinding teeth for processing tough plant material.
Like other members of the iguanodontian family, Sellacoxa had large, powerful hind legs and smaller but sturdy front limbs. Its hands featured the distinctive thumb spike that was characteristic of early iguanodonts, though smaller than those of Iguanodon itself. The dinosaur's long tail helped balance its body whether moving on two or four legs, and provided stability whilst feeding on low-growing vegetation or reaching up to browse on higher plants.
Sellacoxa lived during a time when the climate was much warmer than today, and southern England was covered in subtropical forests filled with conifers, ferns, and early flowering plants. This ornithopod would have shared its environment with other dinosaurs including the predatory Neovenator and various other herbivorous species, creating a diverse Early Cretaceous ecosystem.
What made Sellacoxa distinctive?
Sellacoxa can be distinguished by its characteristic saddle-shaped hip bones, from which it gets its name. It was smaller and more lightly built than Iguanodon, with proportionally longer legs and a more gracile skull, plus smaller thumb spikes on its hands.
Behaviour
Sellacoxa likely lived in herds for protection against predators, moving through the Early Cretaceous forests in search of suitable vegetation. It could switch between walking on two legs for faster movement and dropping to all fours when feeding or moving more slowly through dense vegetation.
Discovery
Sellacoxa was first described by David Norman in 2010. The original fossils were discovered at Wealden Group, Isle of Wight, England.
Sellacoxa FAQ
What did Sellacoxa eat?
Sellacoxa was a herbivore that fed on the diverse plant life of
Early Cretaceous England. It used its beak-like mouth to crop vegetation and had rows of grinding teeth to process tough plant material including ferns, conifers, and early flowering plants.
How big was Sellacoxa?
Sellacoxa measured approximately 7 metres long and stood about 2.5 metres tall at the hip. It weighed around 2.5 tonnes, making it smaller and more lightly built than its famous relative
Iguanodon.
When did Sellacoxa live?
Sellacoxa lived during the
Early Cretaceous period, approximately 137 to 133 million years ago. This was a time of warm global climate when much of what is now southern England was covered in subtropical forests.
Where was Sellacoxa found?
Sellacoxa fossils have been discovered in England, specifically in the Wealden Group rock formations on the Isle of Wight. This area is famous for its rich
Early Cretaceous dinosaur fossils and has produced more dinosaur species than anywhere else in Europe.
How do you pronounce Sellacoxa?
Sellacoxa is pronounced 'sell-ah-COCK-sah', with the emphasis on the middle syllable. The name comes from Latin words meaning 'saddle hip', referring to the distinctive shape of its pelvic bones.
What does Sellacoxa mean?
Sellacoxa means 'saddle hip' in Latin, referring to the characteristic saddle-shaped pelvic bones that helped palaeontologists distinguish this dinosaur from other similar species like
Iguanodon.
How fast could Sellacoxa run?
Based on its leg proportions and body build, scientists estimate that Sellacoxa could reach speeds of around 25 km/h when running on its hind legs, which would have been useful for escaping predators or moving quickly between feeding areas.
What type of dinosaur was Sellacoxa?
Sellacoxa was an ornithopod dinosaur, belonging to the family Iguanodontidae. Ornithopods were herbivorous dinosaurs known for their bird-like hips and ability to walk on either two or four legs.
Was Sellacoxa related to birds?
As an ornithopod, Sellacoxa was not directly related to birds. Birds evolved from theropod dinosaurs, whilst Sellacoxa belonged to the ornithischian group. However, all dinosaurs share common ancestry, so there is a distant evolutionary connection.
How many Sellacoxa fossils have been found?
Sellacoxa is known from several fossil specimens found on the Isle of Wight, though the exact number is not widely publicised. The fossils include skeletal remains that were sufficient for scientists to identify it as a distinct genus separate from
Iguanodon in 2010.
