Iguanodontians: Natural History Museum identifies new dinosaur species from Surrey Quarry collections

Palaeontologists from the Natural History Museum, London, the University of São Paulo, and the University of Birmingham have identified a new genus and species of herbivorous dinosaur, Paludohadros proudlovii

Published in the Journal of Systematic Palaeontology, the discovery re-evaluates fossils originally excavated in 2001 from Wienerberger’s Ewhurst brick and roof tile works in Surrey, England.

The species is named in honour of the late Will Proudlove, former manager of the Ewhurst site, who passed away shortly before the specimen was extracted.

Taxonomy and anatomical profile

Paludohadros proudlovii belonged to the iguanodontians, a widespread group of plant-eating dinosaurs known for their distinct thumb spikes, which lived during the Early Cretaceous Period, about 125 million years ago.

Key biological characteristics of the newly identified genus include:

• Growth Stage and Size:

  • The holotype specimen represents a juvenile individual measuring about 5 meters long and weighing 1.5 to 2 tonnes, comparable to a modern rhinoceros. Based on incomplete bone fusion, fully grown adults likely reached double this size.

• Habitat Adaptation:

  • The generic name Paludohadros derives from the Latin palus, meaning “swamp,” referencing the ancient muddy wetland environment that covered southern England during the Early Cretaceous.

• Taxonomic Re-evaluation:

  • Historically, English iguanodontian fossils were broadly categorised as either Iguanodon or Mantellisaurus. Following a detailed 2023 redescription of Mantellisaurus by NHM researchers, scientists can now recognise a broader diversity of UK iguanodontians, including Brighstoneus, Comptonatus, Istiorachis, and now Paludohadros, based on distinct skeletal traits.

Paleoecological context and predatory interactions

The fossil specimen was discovered roughly 100 meters from the site where the iconic predatory theropod Baryonyx walkeri was first uncovered in 1983.

Senior author Professor Susannah Maidment noted that fossilised stomach contents from Baryonyx revealed its final meal included a juvenile iguanodontian alongside fish, raising the possibility that Baryonyx actively hunted or scavenged young Paludohadros individuals within the muddy Ewhurst wetlands.

• Collection re-examination:

  • Lead author Ricardo Sacamoto is systematically auditing historical iguanodontian collections at the Natural History Museum, including unstudied specimens collected in the 1950s, which has already linked additional unclassified fossils to Paludohadros.

• Museum archive potential:

  • The discovery highlights the importance of museum archives, proving that historical collections continue to yield unclassified species as comparative anatomical techniques improve.