 Iguanodon ( / ᵻˈɡwɑːnədɒn / i @-@ GWAH @-@ nə @-@ don ; meaning " iguana @-@ tooth " ) is a genus of ornithopod dinosaur that existed roughly halfway between the first of the swift bipedal hypsilophodontids of the mid @-@ Jurassic and the duck @-@ billed dinosaurs of the late Cretaceous . While many species have been classified in the genus Iguanodon , dating from the late Jurassic Period to the late Cretaceous Period of Asia , Europe , and North America , research in the first decade of the 21st century suggests that there is only one well @-@ substantiated species : I. bernissartensis , which lived from the late Barremian to the earliest Aptian ages ( Early Cretaceous ) in Belgium and possibly elsewhere in Europe , between about 126 and 125 million years ago . Iguanodon were large , bulky herbivores . Distinctive features include large thumb spikes , which were possibly used for defense against predators , combined with long prehensile fifth fingers able to forage for food . 
 Iguanodon ( / ᵻˈɡwɑːnədɒn / i @-@ GWAH @-@ nə @-@ don ; meaning " iguana @-@ tooth " ) <a href='drop_aux' title='1'><mark>is</mark></a>a genus of ornithopod dinosaur <a href='null_relcl' title='2'><mark>that</mark></a>existed roughly halfway between the first of the swift bipedal hypsilophodontids of the mid @-@ Jurassic and the duck @-@ billed dinosaurs of the late Cretaceous . While many species <a href='been_done' title='3'><mark>have</mark></a> been classified in the genus Iguanodon , dating from the late Jurassic Period to the late Cretaceous Period of Asia , Europe , and North America , research in the first decade of the 21st century <a href='uninflect' title='4'><mark>suggests</mark></a> that <a href='dey_it' title='5'><mark>there</mark></a> is only one well @-@ substantiated species : I. bernissartensis , which lived from the late Barremian to the earliest Aptian ages ( Early Cretaceous ) in Belgium and possibly elsewhere in Europe , between about 126 and 125 million years ago . Iguanodon <a href='uninflect' title='6'><mark>were</mark></a> large , bulky herbivores . Distinctive features include large thumb spikes , which <a href='uninflect' title='7'><mark>were</mark></a> possibly used for defense against predators , combined with long prehensile fifth fingers able to forage for food . 
Iguanodon ( / ᵻˈɡwɑːnədɒn / i @-@ GWAH @-@ nə @-@ don ; meaning " iguana @-@ tooth " ) a genus of ornithopod dinosaur existed roughly halfway between da first of tdaswift bipedal hypsilophodontids of thdaid @-@ Jurassic and the duck @-@ billed dinosaurs of the late Cretaceous . While many species done been classified in thedanus Iguanodon , dating from the late Jurassic Period to the dae Cretaceous Period of Asia , Europe , and North America , research in the fdat decade of the 21dacentury suggest dat it is only one well @-@ substantiated species : I. bernissartensis , which lived from the late Barremian to the earliest Aptian ages ( Early Cretaceous ) in Belgium and possibly elsewhere in Europe , between about 126 and 125 million yrs ago . Iguanodon was large , bulky herbivores . Distinctive features include bigass thumb spikes , which was possibly used for defense against predators , combined witt long prehensile fifth fingers able to forage for food .