Saurolophus facts for kids
Quick facts for kids SaurolophusTemporal range: Upper Cretaceous
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Saurolophus
Brown, 1912
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Saurolophus was a fascinating duck-billed dinosaur that roamed the Earth a very long time ago. It lived during the Upper Cretaceous period, which was about 69.5 to 68.5 million years ago. This was near the end of the Mesozoic Era, often called the "Age of Dinosaurs."
This dinosaur had a unique feature: a bony spike on its forehead. This spike was about 5 inches (13 cm) long and pointed upwards. Scientists think this spike might have been connected to a flap of skin. This skin flap could have covered its nostrils. Saurolophus might have used this feature for special displays or to make loud noises.
Many Saurolophus fossils have been discovered. Some even include impressions of its skin! These amazing finds have been made in places like Alberta, Canada, and Mongolia, China.
Images for kids
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Photo from the excavation of S. osborni in 1911
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A photograph of the panel mount of the holotype of S. osborni, from Barnum Brown, 1913
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Skulls in Moscow Paleontological Museum
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Diagram with labelled skulls of S. angustirostris (A) and S. osborni (B)
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Skull of the holotype specimen of S. osborni
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Skull of S. angustirostris
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Cranial ontogeny of S. angustirostris
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Left humerus of S. angustirostris MPC-D 100/764, showing multiple bite marks
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Restoration of a S. angustirostris herd in their native Nemegt Formation alongside a Homalocephale pair
See also
In Spanish: Saurolophus para niños
