Back to dinosaur directory
Edmontosaurus

Dinosaur profile

Edmontosaurus

Edmontosaurus regalis

HerbivoreLate CretaceousEuornithopod

Pronunciation

ed-MON-toe-sore-us

Meaning

Edmonton lizard

Type

Euornithopod

Length

13m

Period

Late Cretaceous

Years

76 - 65 million years ago

Location

Canada

Diet

Herbivore

About Edmontosaurus

Edmontosaurus is a genus of large, herbivorous dinosaur that lived during the Late Cretaceous Period, about 70-65 million years ago. It was a member of the group of dinosaurs called the hadrosaurids, which includes a diverse group of animals that are characterized by their duck-like bills, bony crests on their heads, and a wide variety of body and crest shapes. Edmontosaurus was a large, stocky dinosaur, with an estimated length of about 40-50 feet and a weight of up to 10 tons. It had a large, triangular head with a pair of small, forward-facing eyes and a mouth full of small, crushing teeth. It had a long, sturdy body, with short, powerful legs and a long, flexible tail.

Edmontosaurus is known from a number of well-preserved fossil specimens, including several complete skeletons and skulls, which have helped paleontologists learn more about the anatomy and behavior of this dinosaur. It is known from North America, and is named after the Canadian province of Alberta, where many of its fossil remains have been found. Edmontosaurus was a herbivorous dinosaur, feeding on a variety of plants including ferns, cycads, and conifers. It is considered a primitive hadrosaurid, and is thought to be closely related to other members of this group such as Anatosaurus and Gryposaurus. Edmontosaurus is important because it is one of the best-known hadrosaurids, and provides insight into the anatomy and behavior of this group of dinosaurs. It is also significant because it is one of the few known hadrosaurids that is known from well-preserved fossil specimens, and provides important evidence for the evolutionary relationships and diversity of these animals.

Wikipedia image gallery

Extra reference images from Wikimedia projects. These are loaded live in your browser.

More Late Cretaceous profiles

Explore related dinosaurs with similar diet, type, period, or fossil location to Edmontosaurus.

Browse all dinosaurs