The discovery of iguanodontid dinosaur from the late Early Cretaceous strata of Ruyang Basin, Henan and its stratigraphic significance

Nine nearly articulated anteromiddle caudal vertebrae from the late Early Cretaceous strata of the Ruyang Basin, Henan Province are described. Due to the incompleteness of the caudal series, it is difficult to determine the exact genus and species; nevertheless, their discovery indicates that, besides the herbivorous gigantic sauropod dinosaurs among the Ruyang Gigantic Sauropod Dinosaur Fauna, there is also a large-sized ornithopod iguanodontid dinosaur. The preserved caudal series is similar to that of Belgian Iguanodon bernissartensis in size and morphology. It is estimated that these 9 caudal vertebrae belong to the 7th to 15th caudal vertebrae, and it is further inferred that the Ruyang Gigantic Sauropod Dinosaur Fauna-bearing strata belong to the late Early Cretaceous.