Parasaurolophus Facts for Kids

20 Parasaurolophus Facts For Kids

1. The Parasaurolophus was a dinosaur that lived during the Late Cretaceous Period.
2. Parasaurolophus was a large quadrupedal ornithopod dinosaur.
3. The Parasaurolophus was herbivorous and ate plant matter.
4. You pronounce the name Parasaurolophus by saying: “pa-ra-saw-ROL-off-us”.
5. The meaning of the dinosaur name Parasaurolophus is “near crested lizard”.
6. There are three species of Parasaurolophus recognized by paleontologists.
7. The type species for the Parasaurolophus is Parasaurolophus walkeri.
8. The other two species of Parasaurolophus are P. tubicen and P. cyrtocristatus.
9. Paleontologists believe there are several most species of Parasaurolophus and research is underway to classify more into the Parasaurolophus genus.
10. Mr. L. W. Dippell was the first person to discover a Parasaurolophus specimen in 1920.
11. Canadian paleontologist Williams Parks was the first person to scientifically described the Parasaurolophus in 1922.
12. The holotype specimen for Parasaurolophus is FMNH P-27393.
13. The Parasaurolophus was estimated to have an average body length between 25 and 35 feet.
14. The Parasaurolophus was estimated to have an average body weight between 2.7 and 5.5 tons.
15. The lifespan of the Parasaurolophus is estimated to have been between 55 and 70 years.
16. The running speed of the Parasaurolophus is estimated to have been around 25 miles per hour.
17. Fossil specimens of the Parasaurolophus have only been discovered in modern-day North America.
18. The cranial crest of the Parasaurolophus is its most prominent feature and gives it the nickname duck-billed dinosaur.
19. We are not sure what the purpose of the cranial crest was for the Parasaurolophus, but some hypotheses include sound amplification, thermoregulation, and gender identification.
20. Paleontologists most likely lived together in herds to help protect both adults and juveniles from predators.

Parasaurolophus Pictures

There is a saying that claims a picture is worth a thousand words. If that is true then the below images will help you with your research on the Parasaurolophus Below you will find three pictures related to the Parasaurolophus dinosaur. These pictures should give you a bettering understanding of the Parasaurolophus and what it may have looked like.

A picture of a Parasaurolophus in a forest.

A picture of a Parasaurolophus in a field.

A picture of a Parasaurolophus running.