Parasaurolophus, Prehistoric Park Nowiny Wielkie, Poland, real size replica, 2009
Parasaurolophus (pronounced /ˌpærəsɔːˈrɒləfəs/ PARR-ə-saw-ROL-ə-fəs, commonly also /ˌpærəˌsɔrəˈloʊfəs/ PARR-ə-SAWR-ə-LOH-fəs; meaning "near crested lizard" in reference to Saurolophus) is a genus of ornithopod dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous Period of what is now North America, about 76-73 million years ago. It was a herbivore that walked both as a biped and a quadruped. Three species are recognized: P. walkeri (the type species), P. tubicen, and the short-crested P. cyrtocristatus. Remains are known from Alberta (Canada), and New Mexico and Utah (USA). It was first described in 1922 by William Parks from a skull and partial skeleton in Alberta. Parasaurolophus is a hadrosaurid, part of a diverse family of Cretaceous dinosaurs known for their range of bizarre head adornments. This genus is known for its large, elaborate cranial crest, which at its largest forms a long curved tube projecting upwards and back from the skull. Charonosaurus from China, which may have been its closest relative, had a similar skull and potentially a similar crest. The crest has been much discussed by scientists; the consensus is that major functions included visual recognition of both species and sex, acoustic resonance, and thermoregulation. It is one of the rarer duckbills, known from only a handful of good specimens.
Size: 3448px × 5020px
Location: Nowiny Wielkie, Poland
Photo credit: © TomBham / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: 00s, 2000s, 2009, dino, dinosaur, dinosaurland, dinosaurs, historical, model, museum, parasaurolophus, park, prehistoric, size”, zoo, “real
