Edmontosaurus had leathery skin (as determined from two mummified Edmontosaurus fossils found in Wyoming). It may have had loose skin around its nose area - some paleontologists think that it may have been able to blow up this skin like a balloon, perhaps for mating rituals or intra-species rivalry. It had a series of bumps (tubercles) running along its neck, back, and tail.

These great photos were taken by Jim Puckett in the Dinosaur Hall of "Prehistoric Journey" at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. Jim reports, "It was originally discovered and unearthed by Barnum Brown. It is 80% real bone and 20% reconstructed (the head is a cast, but they do have the real skull on nearby display - it js too heavy to mount with that little wire holding its head up). On its tail [close-up pictured at right] is what is thought to be a T-Rex bite mark with a small missing piece of vertebra while it was still alive because, after careful examination, it showed the bone began to regrow. There are also some bite marks around it in a concave fashion and Ken Carpenter slid a T-Rex tooth thru it and it fit perfectly. So, ergo, it was most likely a T-Rex attack on live prey, which would show that T-Rex was indeed a predator along with being a scavanger like most predators are anyway in the animal kingdom. Less effort and energy is needed to scavenge rather than chase down prey."

INTELLIGENCE
Edmontosaurus was an ornithopod, whose intelligence (as measured by its relative brain to body weight, or EQ) was midway among the dinosaurs.

Edmontosaurus herds may have migrated thousands of miles seasonally, traveling from the North Slope of Alaska (which would have been dark for months at a time during winter, making plants scarce) to Alberta, Canada (which was rich in green plants during winter). Large numbers of Edmontosaurus fossils have been found at both ends of this proposed migratory route.

DIET
Edmontosaurus was an herbivore, a plant eater. Fossilized conifer needles have been found in Edmontosaurus' stomach. It ate conifer needles, twigs, seeds, and other plant material with its tough beak. It had no teeth in its beak, but had hundreds of cheek teeth used for grinding up tough plant material.

ENEMIES
The almost defenseless Edmontosaurus was preyed upon by Tyrannosaurus rex. T. rex may have even followed Edmontosaurus' migration routes in search of a series of good meals. Other predators of Edmontosaurus may have included Albertosaurus,

LOCOMOTION

A Hadrosaur footprint.

Edmontosaurus could run on two legs or walk on four; it was a relatively slow dinosaur. Dinosaur speeds are estimated using their morphology (characteristics like leg length and estimated body mass) and fossilized trackways.

DISCOVERY OF FOSSILS
Edmontosaurus was named by Lawrence M. Lambe in 1917 from a fossil found in Edmonton Rock Formation, in Alberta, Canada. Many Edmontosaurus fossils have been found, in Alberta, Canada, and Alaska, Wyoming, Montana and New Jersey in the USA. Two mummified Edmontosaurus fossils were found in Wyoming, USA. The dinosaur previously called Anatosaurus is probably a juvenile example of Edmontosaurus.

CLASSIFICATION
Edmontosaurus was a late Ornithischian dinosaur, the order of bird-hipped, herbivorous dinosaurs. It was a member of the suborder Ornithopoda, and the family of duck-billed, herding herbivores, the hadrosaurs. Other hadrosaurs include Maiasaura, Lambeosaurus, Parasaurolophus, Corythosaurus, and Saurolophus.

EDMONTOSAURUS ACTIVITIES

• An Edmontosaurus information printout.
• Print out a K-3 level Edmontosaurus information page to color!
• Brief Fact Sheet with a printable version

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