One of the strangest dinosaurs, Ouranosaurus was discovered from remains found in West Africa. It belonged to the family of Iguanodons and was close in size to Muttaburrasaurus. It was a typical duckbill, with a flat head and an upturned mouth. It would often drop down on all fours but could also stand up on its back legs. Members of the Iguanodon family have been found all over the world. They stayed on earth for a long time, and Ouranosaurus may have been an ancestor of the duck-billed dinosaurs that appeared in the late Cretaceous period.

One other feature set Ouranosaurus apart from its relatives. It had a thin sail made of skin running from the back of its neck to the end of its tail. There may also have been a piece of skin under its chin. The skin probably carried blood vessels.

These would remove heat from the body of the dinosaur. The heat would be carried to the surface of the skin and radiated away into the air. In this way the dinosaur would cool itself in hot weather. In cold conditions, the sail would have gathered heat from the sun. The blood would have carried heat to the body, arms, and legs to warm them.

Location: Niger

Diet: Leafy vegetation

Size: Length 7m (23ft)

Classification:

Family Iguanodontidae

Suborder Ornithopoda

Order Ornithischia

Time (million years ago): 115