You might not know the name Parasaurolophus, but you’ll recognize this iconic dino when you see it. The Parasaurolophus had a cranial crest that looked like a snorkel. It could use the cranial crest as a trumpet, sounding a loud alarm to communicate with other dinos!
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Some Quick Facts About the Parasaurolophus
| Name | Parasaurolophus (Near Crested Lizard) |
| Type of dinosaur | Hadrosaurid or Duck-billed dinosaur |
| Territory | North America |
| Size | Large 26-37 feet long, 8-9 feet tall on all fours, 16 feet tall on two legs |
| Color | Grayish brown with shading for camouflage. The lower body was lighter with a darker top line |
| Interesting Characteristics | Could stretch to heights of 16 feet on two legs to reach plants; cranial crest could be used like a trumpet |
| Diet | Plant-eating herbivore |
| Major Threats | T-rex and other large Theropods, climate change |
You might not know their name, but you’ve probably seen the duck-billed Parasaurolophus. This dino is so interesting that it has appeared in many movies, including The Land Before Time and Jurassic Park. The Parasaurolophus was a herbivore that grazed on four legs but ran on two legs!
What was the Parasaurolophus like?
The Parasaurolophus was the duck-billed dino, and it appeared in many movies, so you have probably seen it before. This dino was a herbivore that grazed on four legs but ran on two legs! It was about 31 feet long and weighed 2.8 tons (5,600 lbs.)
It is known for its cranial crest, similar to a snorkel. The Parasaurolophus could use its crest as a trumpet to communicate with other dinos.
How do you pronounce Parasaurolophus in English?
Parasaurolophus’ name is a mouthful to say, but easy once you break it down. It’s pronounced Para-saur-o-lo-fus. The name comes from “para” (near) and “Saurolophus” (Crested Lizard).
The Saurolophus was another Hadrosaur with a duck bill and a cranial crest, but its cranial crest was much smaller. Saurolophus lived in North America and Asia in the Late Cretaceous period.
How Many Parasaurolophus Species Existed?
There are currently four Parasaurolophus dinosaur species known to paleontology. The type species or main species is Parasaurolophus walkeri. The other Parasaurolophus species are:
- Parasaurolophus tubicen
- Parasaurolophus cyrtocristatus
- Parasaurolophus jiayinensis
P. jiayinenses is sometimes called Charonosaurus jiayinensis. Paleontologists are still debating whether P. jiayinensis is a Parasaurolophus or closely related. Until scientists agree whether Charonosaurus is a Parasaurolophus or a completely new dinosaur, Charonosaurus is considered a synonym of Parasaurolophus.
What Dinos Were Related to the Parasaurolophus?
The Parasaurolophus belonged to the Lambeosaurine class of Hadrosauridae. Corythosaurus, Lambeosaurus, and Amurosaurus were close relatives. As a Hadrosaur, Parasaurolophus was also related to other Hadrosaurs.
Hadrosaurids were amazing dinos. They are thought to have the most complex brains of all the Ornithopod dinosauria. Many paleontologists believe Hadrosaurs like Parasaurolophus were as smart as today’s crocodiles!
Did the Parasaurolophus live with the T-rex?
The Parasaurolophus and the T-rex lived in North America in the Late Cretaceous period. Parasaurolophus lived from 83-66 million years ago. Both went extinct 66 million years ago when an asteroid hit Earth.
The Parasaurolophus lived with several other Late Cretaceous period dinos in North America and Canada — herbivores like Brachiosaurus, Triceratops, and other Hadrosaurs roamed in loose herds. These herds helped keep the plant-eating dinos safe from the T-rex and the Albertosaurus.
Where was Parasaurolophus Found?
The Parasaurolophus came up in 1920 in Alberta (Canada). More Parasaurolophus fossils appeared the following year in the Kirtland Formation of New Mexico.
Later, Parasaurolophus resurfaced throughout North America. Fossils came up in New Mexico, Utah, Arizona, and Alberta. Duck-billed dinosaurs who were also from the Hadrosauridae family were found all over the world! Still, there is no complete Parasaurolophus skeleton to date.
5 Interesting Parasaurolophus Facts
- The Parasaurolophus was one of the few Ornithischia or bird-hipped dinos that walked on two and four legs.
- An adult Parasaurolophus could stand on two feet, helping it reach plants high above other herbivores.
- The Parasaurolophus was one of only four dinos featured in all the Jurassic Park movies, including the original Jurassic Park and Jurassic World. The other three dinos are T-rex, Triceratops, and Velociraptor.
- Ducky from Land Before Time was also a Parasaurolophus.
- The Parasaurolophus is one of the most interesting dinos that ever lived. It could sound an alarm through its cranial crest like a trumpet and run up to 30 mph on two legs.