Genus
Valid Extinct

Parasaurolophus

Parks 1922
Etymology Lézard à crête parallèle

Parasaurolophus is a genus of hadrosaurid "duck-billed" dinosaur that lived in what is now western North America and possibly Asia during the Late Cretaceous period, about 76.5–73 million years ago. It was a large herbivore that could reach over 9 metres (30 ft) long and weigh over 5 metric tons, and were able to move as a biped and a quadruped. Three species are universally recognized: P. walkeri, P. tubicen, and the short-crested P. cyrtocristatus. Additionally, a fourth species, P. jiayinensis, has been proposed, although it is more commonly placed in the separate genus Charonosaurus. Remains are known from Alberta, New Mexico, and Utah, as well as possibly Heilongjiang if Charonosaurus is in fact part of the genus. The genus was first described in 1922 by William Parks from a skull and partial skeleton found in Alberta.

Temporal range
Triassic
Jurassic
Cretaceous
Paleogene
Neogene
252 201 145 66 0 Ma
PBDB occurrences
20
Group
Dinosaures
Herbivore Ground dwelling, gregarious Terrestrial
Parasaurolophus
click to enlarge
Wikimedia
PBDB Wikipedia
Classification
Dinosauria Unranked clade
Ornithischia Unranked clade
Neornithischia Unranked clade
Pyrodontia Unranked clade
Cerapoda Unranked clade
Ornithopoda Suborder
Iguanodontia Infraorder
Euiguanodontia Unranked clade
Dryomorpha Unranked clade
Ankylopollexia Unranked clade
Styracosterna Unranked clade
Hadrosauriformes Unranked clade
Hadrosauroidea Unranked clade
Hadrosauridae Family
Lambeosaurinae Subfamily
Parasaurolophini Tribe
Parasaurolophus Genus
Measurements
Length
8,2 m
Parasaurolophus walkeri  — min connu
9,7 m
Parasaurolophus tubicen — max connu
10 m
Mass
3 200 kg
Parasaurolophus walkeri  — min connu
5 300 kg
Parasaurolophus tubicen — max connu
2 500 kg
Fossil sites 20 geolocated sites
Distribution
Top countries
🇺🇸 United States
16
🇨🇦 Canada
4
Geological formations
Temporal distribution
Campanian (83.6–72.2 Ma)
20
Species (3)
Parasaurolophus cyrtocristatus 84 Ma
Parasaurolophus tubicen 84 Ma
Parasaurolophus walkeri 84 Ma
News 2
Corythosaurus: Beast of the Week
Corythosaurus: Beast of the Week
crest Canada Canardia Corythosaurus Dinosauria +6
This week we will take a look at a well known duckbill dinosaur.  Enter Corythosaurus!  Corythosaurus was a plant eater that belonged to the lambiosaurine group within the family, Hadrosauridae. (duckbills)  Lambiosaurine hadrosaurs typically had hollow crests on their heads and narrower beaks compared to other kinds hadrosaurs.  It was closely related to other lambiosaurine hadrosaurs such as Parasaurolophus, Hypacrosaurus, Lambeosaurus, and Velafrons.  It lived in what is now Alberta, Canada,
15/02/2026 prehistoricbeastoftheweek
Parasaurolophus: Beast of the Week
Parasaurolophus: Beast of the Week
crest Cretaceous Late Cretaceous specimen Canardia +2
This week we will be taking a look at a very popular duck-billed dinosaur.  Say hello to Parasaurolophus!  Parasaurolophus was a plant eater that lived in what is now North America during the Late Cretaceous, about 77 to 73 million years ago.  Parasaurolophus measured about 30 feet (9.1 meters) long from beak to tail, but certain incomplete specimens show evidence of having been a bit larger.  Parasaurolophus is most well-known for its long, curved crest that grew from the back of its head, givi
21/12/2025 prehistoricbeastoftheweek
Images 2
Bibliography
Original description
W. A. Parks. 1922. Parasaurolophus walkeri, a new genus and species of crested trachodont dinosaur. University of Toronto Studies, Geology Series 13:1-32
Bibliography (14)
T. A. Gates, D. C. Evans, and J. J. W. Sertich. 2021. Description and rediagnosis of the crested hadrosaurid (Ornithopoda) dinosaur Parasaurolophus cyrtocristatus on the basis of new cranial remains. PeerJ 9:e10669:1-35 DOI ↗
R. M. Sullivan and S. G. Lucas. 2014. Stratigraphic distribution of hadrosaurids in the Upper Cretaceous Fruitland, Kirtland, and Ojo Alamo formations, San Juan Basin, New Mexico. Hadrosaurs
A. A. Farke, D. J. Chok, and A. Herrero, B. Scolieri, S. Werning. 2013. Ontogeny in the tube-crested dinosaur Parasaurolophus (Hadrosauridae) and heterochrony in hadrosaurids. PeerJ 1:e182:1-83 DOI ↗
D. A. Eberth and D. C. Evans. 2011. International Hadrosaur Symposium Post-Symposium Field Trip, September 24, 2011. Geology and Palaeontology of Dinosaur Provincial Park, Alberta. Royal Tyrrell Museum Special Publication DOI ↗
D. C. Evans, R. R. Reisz, and K. Dupuis. 2007. A juvenile Parasaurolophus (Ornithischia: Hadrosauridae) braincase from Dinosaur Provincial Park, Alberta, with comments on crest ontogeny in the genus. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 27(3):642-650 DOI ↗
P. J. Currie. 2005. History of research. Dinosaur Provincial Park: A Spectacular Ancient Ecosystem Revealed. Indiana University Press, Bloomington
R. M. Sullivan and G. E. Bennett. 2000. A juvenile Parasaurolophus (Ornithischia: Hadrosauridae) from the Upper Cretaceous Fruitland Formation of New Mexico. New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science Bulletin 17:215-220
T. E. Williamson. 2000. Review of Hadrosauridae (Dinosauria, Ornithischia) from the San Juan Basin, New Mexico. Dinosaurs of New Mexico. New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science Bulletin 17:191-213
R. M. Sullivan and T. E. Williamson. 1999. A new skull of Parasaurolophus (Dinosauria: Hadrosauridae) from the Kirtland Formation of New Mexico and a revision of the genus. New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science Bulletin 15:1-52
T. E. Williamson and R. M. Sullivan. 1997. Reinterpretation of a Parasaurolophus skull from the Upper Cretaceous (Campanian) Kaiparowits Formation, Utah. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 17(3, suppl.):84A
B. S. Kues, J. W. Froehlich, and J. A. Schiebout, S. G. Lucas. 1977. Paleontological survey, resource assessment, and mitigation plan for the Bisti-Star Lake Area, northwestern New Mexico. Report to the Bureau of Land Management, Albuquerque, New Mexico
J. H. Ostrom. 1961. A new species of hadrosaurian dinosaur from the Cretaceous of New Mexico. Journal of Paleontology 35(3):575-577
C. Wiman. 1931. Parasaurolophus tubicen n. sp. aus der Kreide in New Mexico [Parasaurolophus tubicen n. sp. from the Cretaceous in New Mexico]. Nova Acta Regiae Societatis Scientarum Upsaliensis, Series IV 7(5):3-11
W. A. Parks. 1922. Parasaurolophus walkeri, a new genus and species of crested trachodont dinosaur. University of Toronto Studies, Geology Series 13:1-32