Parasaurolophus was a plant-eater that lived during the Late Cretaceous Period. Easily recognizable thanks to their long, curved crest.
This duck-billed dinosaur roamed the forested wetlands of North America, grazing on tough plants in herds to protect themselves from predators.
With its unique looks and fascinating features, from its crest to its toothy duck-like bill, to its hooved front feet. Let’s look at the basics of this strange dinosaur.
Parasaurolophus Basic Information
- Name: Parasaurolophus
- Pronunciation: PAIR-uh-sore-OL-uh-fus (PARE-uh-SORE-uh-LOW-fus
- Meaning: Near crested lizard
- Time-Period: Late Cretaceous Period (76 – 73 MYA)
- Group: Dinosaur
- Classification: Hadrosaur
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Chordata
- Class: Reptilia
- Family: Hadrosauridae
- Subfamily: Lambeosaurinae
- Tribe: Parasaurolophini
- Genus: Parasaurolophus
- Species:
- Parasaurolophus walkeri
- Parasaurolophus tubicen
- Parasaurolophus cyrtocristatus
- Diet: Herbivore (plant-eater)
- Fossil Locations: New Mexico and Utah, USA; Alberta, Canada
Where Did Parasaurolophus Live?
Parasaurolophus Lived during the Late Cretaceous Period in North America. The land during that time was warm, with winding rivers, boggy swamps, and lush forests. This is the perfect environment for huge plant-eating dinosaurs.
Their fossils have been found in:
- New Mexico
- Utah
- Alberta, Canada
This landmass was called Laramidia, split by a shallow sea dividing North America into two. Due to the environment and abundant plant life, the Parasourolophous had lots of food sources, living near water with thick vegetation.
Next, let’s look at what made the Parasaurolophus so unique…
Parasaurolophus Physical Characteristics
Parasaurolophus is one of the more recognizable dinosaurs due to its long, curved crest on the back of its head.
This duck-billed dinosaur had a strong body for walking on either two or all four of its legs.
- Size (Length/Height): 30-35 feet long (10.5 meters)/ up to 10 feet tall
- Notable Features: Parasaurolophus had a curved crest on the back of its head, a duck-like bill, and a long tail for balance.
- Weight: 2.5-5 tons
- Appearance: Bulky body with a long tail, and walks on 2 legs to run, and 4 legs while grazing. Its skin was scaly.
- Teeth: Though this dinosaur had a bill, it also had “dental batteries,” which were tightly packed teeth to grind apart tough vegetation.
- Eyesight: Likely had good eyesight for spotting predators and awareness of surroundings.
- Smell: Likely had a good sense of smell for both finding food and recognizing other dinosaurs.
- Hearing: Had good hearing and used its hollow crest for making deep vocalizations to communicate with other Parasaurolophus.
What Did Parasaurolophus Eat?
Being a herbivore, meaning it ate only plants, the Parasaurolophyus wouldn’t have fed on grass, but rather the ancient plants that grew in forests and along rivers.
During the Late Cretaceous Period, the forests and rivers had lots of vegetation, which was especially fibrous. Grass actually didn’t exist during the Cretaceous Period.
It likely ate:
- Leaves from trees and shrubs
- Conifers (cone-bearing trees similar to pine trees)
- Ferns
- Horsetails (tall, reed-like plants that grew near water)
- Seeds and possibly soft fruits
By walking on all 4s, Parasaurolophus could reach low vegetation to graze. But it can also walk on its two hind legs to reach high vegetation as well. Its extended bill lets it get more reach to grab plants, while using its rows of teeth to grind up its food.
Fun Facts
- Musical Crest: Scientists speculated that the crest on its head could have been used to make musical sounds and other mating calls. The hollow part of the crest would have made deep, trumpet-like sounds.
- Bipedal and Quadrapedal: The Parasaurolophus was able to walk on either its two back legs for running and escaping danger. But it also walked on all fours while eating and grazing.
- Duck-billed and Toothy: Parasaurolophus had both a duck bill as well as rows and rows of tightly packed teeth for chewing on tough plants.
- Herd Dinosaur: It may have lived in herds, like most other duck-billed dinosaurs. Living in a herd would have protected them from other predators.
- One of Many Crested Dinos: Different species had different types of crests. Parasaurolophus had a longer, straighter crest compared to other dinosaurs. Some had shorter crests, and some had more curved crests. They were kind of like having different hairstyles.