Prosaurolophus

Name Origin

Early Saurolophus

Family

Hadrosauridae

Classification

Diapsida, Ornithischia, Ornithopoda

Habitat (Discovery Location)

United States, Canada

Period

Approximately 76–75 million years ago (Late Cretaceous)

Length

Approximately 8–9 meters

Weight

Approximately 2.5 tons

Diet

Herbivore

Description

The duck-billed dinosaurs (Hadrosauridae) were the most prosperous group in Late Cretaceous North America.
Among them, there is a dinosaur with a slightly confusing name: “Prosaurolophus.”

Its name means “early Saurolophus,” but in reality, it looked remarkably like a different dinosaur.

Named “Saurolophus” but Resembles “Edmontosaurus”?

The scientific name Prosaurolophus attaches the prefix “Pro” (meaning before) to “Saurolophus,” literally translating to “early Saurolophus” (or prior Saurolophus).
It was named by the famous paleontologist Barnum Brown, five years after the discovery of Saurolophus.

Gap in Appearance

Contrary to its name, it does not resemble Saurolophus very much.
While Saurolophus possessed a long, pointed crest extending from the back of its head, the crest of Prosaurolophus was small and modest.
In fact, its actual appearance was much closer to “Edmontosaurus,” a fellow member of the Hadrosauridae family.
It was a large species measuring 8 to 9 meters in length, featuring a tall facial structure.

The Role of the Small “Shoehorn-like” Crest

The most distinctive feature of Prosaurolophus is the small, “shoehorn-shaped” crest situated in front of its eyes.
It is believed that this seemingly plain bony protuberance played an important role.

Appeal to the Opposite Sex and Acoustic Effects

The areas on both sides of the crest (the sides of the face) are slightly concave, suggesting they may have been covered by soft tissue (muscles or skin sacs) in life.
They likely inflated these sacs for visual display or used them to resonate sound and produce distinctive calls.
The crest tended to extend backward with age, so a magnificent crest may have been a status symbol for being “popular” during the breeding season.

Thriving in Arid Lands! Dental Batteries and Good Preservation

They were a highly successful dinosaur, and to date, more than 25 skeletons (including well-preserved ones) have been discovered.

Life in Arid Regions

One reason the fossils remained in such beautiful condition is the possibility that they lived in “arid regions” away from rivers.
This would mean they were less likely to be washed away by river floods.

Efficient Feeding System

In the back of their mouths, they possessed a “dental battery” consisting of hundreds of densely packed teeth.
This allowed them to grind down tough vegetation, and their high adaptability—being able to eat plants up to 4 meters high—led to their prosperity.