# Saurolophus (*Saurolophus osborni*)

Saurolophus was a prehistoric dinosaur known for its distinctive features. Scientists study its bones to learn about how dinosaurs lived.

- **Category:** [Ancient](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/ancient)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Mesozoic forests and floodplains

![Saurolophus](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Saurolophus_osborni_holotype.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Ryan Somma, CC BY-SA 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Saurolophus_osborni_holotype.jpg)

## Appearance

The Saurolophus is a large, duck-billed dinosaur with a distinctive solid, bony spike-like crest pointing backward from its head. Its skin might have been patterned with greens, browns, and grays for camouflage.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Animalia

## Interesting facts

- Fossils have been found in both North America and far-off Mongolia!
- It munched plants using a massive battery of over 1,000 self-replacing teeth!
- Saurolophus means 'lizard crest,' named for the distinctive spike on its head!
- Some scientists think Saurolophus might have spent time swimming in ancient rivers!

## Special abilities

- **Sound Communicator:** Saurolophus could trumpet loud calls through its hollow head crest that helped them communicate with their herd across distances.
- **Plant Shredder:** Saurolophus had a powerful beak and thousands of tiny grinding teeth that helped them shear and chew tough prehistoric plants.
- **Two-Legged Runner:** Saurolophus had strong hind legs that allowed them to occasionally run on two legs to escape from dangerous predators.
- **Water Wanderer:** Saurolophus may have spent time in rivers and lakes, using its duck-like snout to forage for aquatic plants.

## Measurements & details

- **Length:** 9-12 m
- **Weight:** 1500-3000 kg
- **Era:** Late Cretaceous
- **Extinct Millions Years Ago:** 68

## Diet & Feeding

A plant-eating giant, Saurolophus grazed on abundant vegetation with its powerful beak.

- **Primary Foods:** Ferns, Cycads, Conifers, Flowering plants, Aquatic plants
- **Foraging Method:** Grazing

## Ecological connections

- **Eaten by:** Tyrant Lizard King (*Tyrannosaurus rex*) — Often hunted young or old Saurolophus.
- **Eaten by:** Frightful Lizard (*Daspletosaurus torosus*) — A formidable North American predator of its time.
- **Eaten by:** Alarming Lizard (*Tarbosaurus bataar*) — The apex predator sharing Asian habitats.

## Traits

- [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
- [Ancient](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ancient): Ancient refers to organisms, objects, or geological formations that have existed for an extremely long period.
- [Artifact](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/artifact): An artifact is an object made or modified by human culture, typically of historical or archaeological interest.
- [Fossil](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fossil): A fossil is the preserved remains or traces of an ancient organism embedded in rock or other geological deposits.

## Collections

- [Ancient](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/ancient)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

While extremely dangerous in their time, this creature is now extinct.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Saurolophus?

Compare skull shape, horns, plates, limbs, posture and tail. Museum models and toys can mix features or follow outdated reconstructions. Dinosaur Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How long is Saurolophus?

9-12 m

### How much does Saurolophus weigh?

1500-3000 kg

### What does Saurolophus eat?

A plant-eating giant, Saurolophus grazed on abundant vegetation with its powerful beak.

### Where is Saurolophus usually found?

Mesozoic forests and floodplains

### How does Saurolophus hunt?

Grazing

### What geologic era did Saurolophus live in?

Late Cretaceous

### When did Saurolophus go extinct?

68

## More Ancient

- [Tyrannosaurus rex](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tyrannosaurus-rex) (*Tyrannosaurus rex*)
- [Triceratops](https://www.snappit.app/explore/triceratops) (*Triceratops horridus*)
- [Stegosaurus](https://www.snappit.app/explore/stegosaurus) (*Stegosaurus stenops*)
- [Brachiosaurus](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brachiosaurus) (*Brachiosaurus altithorax*)

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Source: [Saurolophus: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/saurolophus)