Here’s the Duck-Billed Edmontosaurus

Edmontosaurus was discovered in the late 1800s, all over North America as far north as Alaska. The fossils are usually found in groups called bone beds because these dinos traveled in herds. Herds of Edmontosaurus sometimes included other Hadrosaurs and even Ceratopsians like Triceratops, with thousands of dinosaurs moving in one group together.

Some Quick Facts about the Edmontosaurus

What Is the Scientific Name of Edmontosaurus?

The main or type species’ scientific name is Edmontosaurus regalis (E. regalis). The second species of Edmontosaurus is Edmontosaurus annectens or E. annectens.

Edmontosaurus also has a few synonyms. Synonyms are common practice in paleontology. These dinosaurs originally had another name before paleontologists knew they were Edmontosauruses. Anatotitan and Anatosaurus are both synonyms for Edmontosaurus.

Where was the Edmontosaurus found?

Edward Cope found the first Edmontosaurus in Alberta, Canada (1871). But the discovery of Edmontosaurus is complicated. Rivals Cope and Othniel Marsh were in a race to find and name as many dinosaur bones as possible. Cope named his discovery a Trachodon, which was later changed.

Marsh found Edmontosaurus bones in 1892. Between 1902 and 1915, more specimens were found. In 1917 Lawrence Lambe officially named all the bones Edmontosaurus. They were named after the Edmonton Formation in Alberta, now known as the Horseshoe Canyon Formation.

Did Edmontosaurus walk on two legs?

Edmontosaurus was primarily bipedal (like Eustreptospondylus). That means it walked mostly on its hind legs. But Edmontosaurus’s front legs were strong enough for the heavy dinosaur to walk on four legs when needed.

Paleontologists are still studying how hadrosaurs like Edmontosaurus move through the world. New technology helps, but there’s still more to learn.

For now, paleontologists think that Edmontosaurus walked on four legs when eating low-growing plants and used a bipedal stance to reach into conifer trees for food.

Is Edmontosaurus bigger than T-rex?

Edmontosaurus was only a few feet taller than the 12-foot-tall T-rex. But Tyrannosaurus rex was about twice as heavy as Edmontosaurus. Plus, T-rex was a carnivore and Edmontosaurus was a herbivore.

Being bigger isn’t always better, but Edmontosaurus was also more stable than T-rex. Edmontosaurus had thick hind legs like T-rex, but T-rex was more upright and had useless arms.

Edmontosaurus had heavier front legs and could use those legs to get back up after falling, unlike T-rex, who needed a long time to get back up again.

Did the Tyrannosaurus Hunt the Edmontosaurus?

Experts believe Tyrannosaurus was a scavenger, but new research shows it was hunting live prey.

Edmontosaurus could have been on the Tyrannosaurus’ menu, regardless of its size. There are many Tyrannosaur teeth marks on Edmontosaurus fossils, showing T. Rex was winning the fight.

How Did an Edmontosaurus Protect Itself?

T-rex hunted Edmontosaurus and other herbivorous dinosaurs, but Edmontosaurus had a few advantages over T-rex. For example, Edmontosaurus could run up to 28 mph. T-rex could only run about 17 mph. Edmontosaurus lived in large herds, which helped keep T-rex away.

One Edmontosaurus fossil showed signs of healing after a T-rex bite. That means the Edmontosaurus was alive long enough to get away and start to get better!

This partially healed fossil also had a healing hip fracture older than the T-rex bite. The Edmontosaurus probably had a limp, which slowed the dinosaur down. Even injured, this Edmontosaurus was able to escape! This proves that a healthy Edmontosaurus wasn’t an easy catch for T-rex.

What Did the Edmontosaurus Eat?

Edmontosaurus was eating plants from the ground.

It used its beak to grab the leaves and munch. Moreover, these dinos likely had cheek pouches, where they stored food for later.