Back to dinosaur directory
Gryposaurus

Dinosaur profile

Gryposaurus

HerbivoreLate CretaceousEuornithopod

Pronunciation

Grip-o-sore-us

Meaning

Hook nosed lizard

Type

Euornithopod

Length

8 - 10 meters long

Period

Late Cretaceous

Years

86-71 million years ago

Location

Canada, USA

Diet

Herbivore

About Gryposaurus

Gryposaurus is a genus of herbivorous dinosaur that lived during the Late Cretaceous Period, about 76-73 million years ago. It was a member of the hadrosaurid family of dinosaurs, which are also known as 'duck-billed' dinosaurs due to their distinctive, flat snouts.

Gryposaurus was a large dinosaur, with a body length of around 9-10 meters (30-33 feet) and a weight of around 4-5 tons. It had a long, narrow snout with hundreds of small, closely-packed teeth that were used to grind up plant material. Gryposaurus had a distinctive, bony crest on its snout that was shaped like a duck's bill, and may have been used for display or communication. It also had a large, bony frill on the back of its skull, and may have had a small, pointed horn on its snout. Gryposaurus had short, sturdy legs and likely walked on all fours.

Gryposaurus is known from several specimens, including complete skulls and partial skeletons. These specimens have been found in North America, including Alberta, Canada and Montana, USA. Gryposaurus was a common dinosaur in its ecosystem, and would have competed with other herbivorous dinosaurs such as ceratopsids and ankylosaurs for food. It likely fed on a variety of plants, including conifers, ferns, and cycads. Despite its large size and armored head, Gryposaurus may have been preyed upon by larger carnivorous dinosaurs such as Tyrannosaurus and Albertosaurus.

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 Gryposaurus.

Browse all dinosaurs