Barilium is a genus of dinosaur that lived during the Early Cretaceous period, about 140 million years ago.
This dinosaur was once thought to be a part of a different genus called Iguanodon. It was first described as Iguanodon dawsoni by a scientist named Richard Lydekker in 1888. The name “dawsoni” honors Charles Dawson, the person who discovered the first fossils of this dinosaur.
In 2010, another scientist named David Norman decided that Barilium should be its own genus, separate from Iguanodon. The name “Barilium” comes from Greek and Latin words that mean “heavy” and “ilium,” which is a part of the pelvis.
Barilium is known from two partial skeletons found in East Sussex, England. These remains came from rocks that were formed in the Lower Cretaceous period, specifically around the Valanginian age.
This dinosaur is estimated to have been about 8 meters long, roughly the size of a large car.
Barilium had some distinct features that set it apart from a similar dinosaur called Hypselospinus. Barilium was more robust, meaning it was sturdier and had larger vertebrae with shorter neural spines. In contrast, Hypselospinus had long and narrow spines.
In summary, Barilium is an interesting dinosaur that once had a different name and was known for its sturdy build. It provides important insight into the variety of dinosaurs that roamed the Earth millions of years ago.