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 Quick Facts

How Was It Discovered?

First discovered in 1920 by William Parks in the Dinosaur Park Formation in Alberta, Canada. The first discovery included a skull and a partial skeleton. 

The genus was named Parasaurolophus in 1922, and the species of the specimen found was walkeri, named in honor of Sir Edmund Byron Walker who was at the time a Chairman at the Royal Ontario Museum.

A different species was found just a year after the first specimen but in New Mexicoby CHarles H. Sternberg. Carl Winman named this species tubicen.

A third species of this genus was found in 1961 in New Mexico by John Ostrom, named cyrtocristatus.

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. 

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. 

Next, let’s look at what made the Parasaurolophus so unique…

Parasaurolophus Skull, Teeth, and Bill

Paralophosaurus was one of the most recognizable dinosaurs due to its long, curved crest on the back of its head. It was also one of the herbivores to have a recognizable duck-billed mouth.

Though this dinosaur had a bill, it also had “dental batteries,” which were tightly packed teeth to grind apart tough vegetation.

We actually have skin impressions in rock, which showed that it had scaly pebbled skin, similar to a crocodile. 

How Big Was It?

This herbivore was massive, but not nearly as large as many other dinosaurs.

It was:

• 30-35 feet (10.5 meters) long 
• Up to 10 feet (3 meters) tall 
• 2.5-5 tons

Family Tree

Being a bird-hipped dinosaur, Parasaurolophus was a part of the Ornithischia order. Because of its duck bill, it was classified under the Hadrosauridae family. 

Classification: Hadrosaur

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Reptilia

Order: Ornithischia 

Family: Hadrosauridae

Subfamily: Lambeosaurinae

Tribe: Parasaurolophini

Genus: Parasaurolophus

Species:

• Parasaurolophus walkeri
• Parasaurolophus tubicen
• Parasaurolophus cyrtocristatus

Parasaurolophus Name Meaning

The name Parasaurolophus (PAIR-uh-sore-OL-uh-fus) Derived from Greek:

• Para – beside or near
• Sauro– Lizard
• Lophos – Crest

Together, Parasaurolophus means near crested lizard. 

Parasaurolophus Senses

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.

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.

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