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Parasaurolophus

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Dinosaurs

   iParasaurolophus

                        Fossil range: Late Cretaceous

   Parasaurolophus walkeri
   Parasaurolophus walkeri
               Scientific classification

   Kingdom:     Animalia
   Phylum:      Chordata
   Class:       Sauropsida
   Superorder:  Dinosauria
   Order:       Ornithischia
   Suborder:    Ornithopoda
   Infraorder:  Iguanodontia
   Superfamily: Hadrosauroidea
   Family:      Hadrosauridae
   Subfamily:   Lambeosaurinae
   Tribe:       Parasaurolophini
   Genus:       Parasaurolophus
                Parks, 1922

                                   Species

   P. walkeri Parks, 1922
   P. tubicen Wiman, 1931
   P. cyrtocristatus Ostrom, 1961

   Parasaurolophus was a genus of hadrosaurid (duck-billed) dinosaur from
   the Upper Cretaceous Period (about 76-65 million years ago) of what is
   now North America. Its name means 'near crested lizard', which refers
   to another hadrosaurid, Saurolophus, discovered before Parasaurolophus.
   Parasaurolophus were about 10 m (33 ft) long, 5 m (16 ft) high and
   weighed around 3500 kg (7,700 lb). Like other hadrosaurs, they were
   facultatively bipedal, i.e. they could alternate between two legs and
   four, probably preferring a quadrupedal gait while they foraged for
   food and assuming a bipedal mode for faster running.
   Parasaurolophus walkeri skull - Natural History Museum, London.
   Enlarge
   Parasaurolophus walkeri skull - Natural History Museum, London.

   Their most noticeable feature would have been the six-foot long curved
   crest, protruding from the rear of the head, often longer in males than
   in females. This hollow crest was probably used for intraspecific
   communication by both males and females and for display by the males.
   Many scientists also think the crest gave Parasaurolophus an excellent
   sense of smell. Parasaurolophus is often depicted with a flap of skin
   running from the bottom of the crest to the base of the neck, though
   there is no evidence of this. There were about three species but two of
   them are known only by incomplete remains. The best known species is
   Parasaurolophus walkeri.

   Parasaurolophus probably lived in large herds and inhabited flood
   plains. They were herbivores but they were not, as was once thought,
   aquatic. They were fully terrestrial animals, as evidenced by
   footprints. They could possibly swim but they lived their entire lives
   on land. Parasaurolophus may have been prey for large carnivorous
   theropods, such as Daspletosaurus.

   Fossils of Parasaurolophus have been found across North America and a
   complete skeleton was found in Canada.

In popular culture

   Skull of a female Parasauroplophus walkeri
   Enlarge
   Skull of a female Parasauroplophus walkeri
     * Parasaurolophus appeared in all three Jurassic Park films. During
       the Brachiosaurus scene in the first film, when the camera trails
       to a full view of the park, a herd is seen near the lake.
       Parasaurolophus appeared again in The Lost World: Jurassic Park
       when InGen tries to capture dinosaurs for the San Diego Jurassic
       Park. This dinosaur appears again in Jurassic Park III. The people
       on the island run into a herd of Parasaurolophus and Corythosaurus
       to escape Velociraptor.
     * Parasaurolophus was also featured in the Vivendi Universal game
       Jurassic Park: Operation Genesis.
     * Parasauralophus was featured in various moments of Disney's
       Dinosaur
     * Parasauralophus also appeared in Episode 6 of ITV's documentary
       series Prehistoric Park.
     * Parasauralophus appeared as a dinozord (Parazord) in Power Rangers
       Dino Thunder.
     * Star Trek: Voyager featured a race called the Voth, who evolved
       from Parasauralophus and left Earth when they developed space
       technology (see " Distant Origin").

   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parasaurolophus"
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   with only minor checks and changes (see www.wikipedia.org for details
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