Edmontosaurus - Pause - Day 26

[dino_a_day]

Didn't quite have time to finish last night, so here it is this morning. This is Edmontosaurus annectens, one of the best-known dinosaurs in existence. On top of having found hundreds of very complete skeletons of adults and juveniles, we have a few very complete mummies as well, which have allowed us to know the skin texture (loose and scaly, with round tuberculous scales more like a gila monster than a snake), and diet (lots of seeds, conifers and gymnosperms, based on gut contents and isotope ratios in the teeth). We have skeletons that show signs of scar tissue, damaged vertebrae and hips, and tooth marks, showing that they were preyed upon by large tyrranosaurs, as well as skeletons that show bone damage from other ailments such as cancer. Skeletons have been found from Alaska to Colorado, a huge range for any dinosaur, and some have suggested they may have been migratory like today's caribou, heading south to avoid the arctic winters. Their front toes were even developed into hoof-like structures, with the hard-scaled skin fully enclosing flattened toe bones. And they definitely lived in herds, some of which may have numbered thousands of Edmontosaurs.

Despite everything we do know, we're still finding out new information about this and other Edmotosaurus species. At the end of 2013, one specimen was discovered that preserved impressions of soft tissue around the head, which revealed for the first time that Edmontosaurus had a fleshy rooster-like comb on top of its head - something we never could have seen from skeletons alone. Just one more reminder of how little we know, even when it comes to a species we think we know so much about.

Comments

[needled_ink_1975]

Another of my favourites! That beak-y sort of mouth always fascinated me, and the almost-sort-of-mix-up of bovine/porcine forefeet. Then we learned he had a crest, too. And if I add the odd bits up:

~rooster-ish crest
~duck-like bill
~cow-pig-y forefeet

I think that makes his unofficial name Farmyardosaurus *ducks just in case rotten tomatoes are thrown*.

Just joshing. Hope you're feeling better.

–Nici

[dino_a_day]

Farmyardosaurus sounds like the perfect name!

And yes, much better now, thanks.