I Know Dino Podcast: Parasaurolophus

Episode 33 is all about Parasaurolophus, a “duck-billed” hadrosaur.

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On this episode, we talk about:

The dinosaur of the day: Parasaurolophus, whose title means “close to crested lizard
Lived in North America within the Cretaceous

Fossils present in Alberta, Canada, New Mexico and Utah
Fossils first present in 1920
First described in 1922 by William Parks, based mostly on a partial skeleton and cranium present in Alberta

Named after Sir Byron Edmund Walker, chairman of the board of trustees of the Royal Ontario Museum
Estimated size of 31 toes (9.5 m), weighed 2.5 tons, cranium about 5 toes (1.6 m) lengthy
Each bipedal and quadrupedal

Most likely ran on two legs, however walked on all fours when consuming
Regarded as carefully associated to Saurolophus (due to similar-ish crest); however now considered an offshoot of lambeosaurines, completely different from Corythosaurus (episode 31)
Regarded as just like Saurolophus initially due to its crest (however Saurolophus is a part of the sub-family Saurolophus, which had no crests or stable crests) Parasaurolophus’ crest was hole and is a part of lambeosaurine sub-family)

Three species: Parasaurolophus walkeri (kind species), Parasaurolophus tubicen, and Parasaurolophus cyrtocristatus (short-crested)
P. walkeri has a straight crest and easy tubes; P. tubicen has a protracted crest with complicated tubs; P. cyrtocristatus has smallest, most curved crest
One specimen of P. walkeri might have had a illness. That is based mostly on a v-shaped hole within the vertebrae, close to the bottom of the neck (although one other interpretation is there was a pores and skin flap/ligament to assist the top or the fossils had been broken throughout preparation)

Charles H. Sternberg discovered a partial cranium in 1921 within the Kirtland Formation in New Mexico; despatched to Uppsala, Sweden, and Carl Wiman described the second species, Parasaurolophus tubicen (tubicen comes from the Latin phrase for “trumpeter”
In 1995 a second, almost full P. tubicen cranium was present in New Mexico
P. tubicen existed barely later than P. cyrtocristatus in New Mexico, and lived amongst ornithischians, saurischians, pterosaurs, turtles, and fish

In 1961 John Ostrom described the third species, P. cyrtocristatus, based mostly on a partial cranium with a brief crest and most of a skeleton (title comes from Latin curtus “shortened” and cristatus “crested”
New Mexico on the time of P. cyrtocristatus was swampy, near the Cretaceous Inside Seaway
P. cyrtocristatus in all probability lived amongst Pentaceratops sternbergii (ceratopsian), pachycephalosaur Stegoceras novomexicanum

P. tubicen is largest species, P. cyrtocristatus is smallest
In 2014 PLOS ONE printed a examine by Xing about one other attainable species, P. jiayensis (initially Charonosaurus jiayensis, present in China)
Charonosaurus was named after Charon (boater in Greek mythology who rowed the deceased throughout the underworld)

Dinosaurs within the late Cretaceous in North America had been similar to the dinosaurs in Eurasia (Charonosaurus was barely bigger)
Parasaurolophus had a hole crest, with tubes that ran from every nostril to the top of the crest (most complicated tubes in P. tubicen, and easier crests in P. walkeri)
Till the Nineteen Sixties, scientists thought hadrosaurids had been amphibious (and thought the crest helped them keep underwater)

Now, they suppose it might have been used for temperature regulation, make low-frequency sounds (to alert others)–Wiman instructed in 1931 when describing P. tubicen because the crest’s inner construction was just like a swan–additionally, hardosaurid inside ears are just like crocodile, so might have been delicate to excessive frequencies)
Scientists used to suppose the crest was used to both assist the top/neck, hold water out of its lungs (again after they thought it was amphibious), used as a snorkel, used as a weapon, used as a department guard (nevertheless it in all probability ate low-lying crops), saved salt glands (present in marine animals, however doesn’t clarify the distinction within the crests of the three species), gave a larger sense of scent
P.E. Wheeler proposed thermoregulation in 1978 (floor space of crest took in warmth in the course of the day and dissipated at evening)

In 2009, 17-year-old Kevin Terris, went with paleontologist Andrew Farke on a fossil hunt, and he discovered “Joe” the infant Parasaurolophus (additionally the very best preserved specimen)
Parasaurolophus began rising its crest at 25% grownup dimension (ahead of Corythosaurus, which can be why the crests are greater); additionally Parasaurolophus grew quick
Parasaurolophus “Joe” was about one 12 months previous, 25% grownup sized

Joe’s cranium crest had a little bit bump, which reveals how drastically the form of the crest modified all through a Parasaurolophus‘ life
Joe is called after Joe Augustyn (household sponsored the skeleton preparation)
Can see Joe on show on the Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology

See dinosaurjoe.org for a digital museum about Joe
Within the Nineteen Nineties, some American paleontologists and pc scientists scanned a Parasaurolophus cranium and simulated the sounds it in all probability made
Parasaurolophus sounds modified after puberty (youthful ones might hear and emit larger frequency sounds)

Slender beak, so in all probability choosier about what it ate
Frequently changed enamel; had lots of of enamel and a beak to crop crops
Lived in a heat local weather (hotter than Alberta at this time), no frost, wetter and drier seasons

A number of conifers, in addition to ferns and angiosperms
No pure defenses (like Corythosaurus)
Most likely prey to Albertosaurus, Gorgosaurus and Daspletosaurus (simpler to hunt than a ceratopsian with horns)

Different predators might have been Bistahieversor, Teratophoneus, and Troodon (particularly to smaller, youthful Parasaurolophus)
However might run on two legs
Hadrosaurs had been the most important land animals that would run on two legs

Different dinosaurs in North America within the Cretaceous included Albertosaurus, Nanotyrannus, Lambeosaurus, Pachyrhinosaurus
Parasaurolophus was in Jurassic Park 1, 2, 3 (quick appearances, ingesting from a lake, in a discipline, captured by InGen, and so on.)
The Parasaurolophus in Jurassic Park 2 was nicknamed Elvis, due to its pompadour-like horn (and the character Roland Tembo didn’t hassle to be taught the dinosaur’s title)

Jack Horner mentioned that the actors of Jurassic Park had a tough time saying Parasaurolophus
A model of Parasaurolophus appeared in Star Trek Voyager (they had been humanoid aliens known as “Voths”, descended from Parasaurolophus however fled the galaxy earlier than dinosaurs went extinct)
Parasaurolophus was additionally Ducky in Land Earlier than Time

Hadrosaurid household is identified for his or her crests on their heads (could also be used to assist acknowledge people, make sounds, or assist regulate physique temperature)
Enjoyable Reality: Inside an space of about 40 sq. kilometers, greater than 200 oviraptorosaurian nests with eggs have been found within the Ganzhou area.

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