Edmontosaurus: The Duck-Billed Dinosaur That Ruled the Late Cretaceous

If you think the Late Cretaceous was all about terrifying predators like Tyrannosaurus rex, think again. Meet Edmontosaurus, one of the most widespread and successful herbivorous dinosaurs of its time. Living around 73 to 66 million years ago, Edmontosaurus roamed what is now western North America, from Alaska and Alberta down towards Colorado. It was a hadrosaur, or duck-billed dinosaur, and could reach around 40 feet in length. With its powerful hind legs, long tail and broad, duck-like snout, this was one seriously impressive plant-eater.

But don't let the duck-bill fool you, Edmontosaurus had a mouth built for some serious eating. Its jaws contained

Artists impression of an Edmontosaurus

hundreds of tightly packed teeth, arranged into dental batteries. As the dinosaur chewed, older teeth wore down and were continuously replaced by new ones. This allowed Edmontosaurus to process tough vegetation such as leaves, stems and other plant material. Fossil teeth and jaws give us a fascinating glimpse into how these dinosaurs fed, while their enormous bones tell us just how big these animals could become.

Edmontosaurus lived alongside some of the most famous dinosaurs ever discovered. In its North American world were Triceratops, Ankylosaurus and Pachyrhinosaurus, as well as the enormous predator Tyrannosaurus rex. Unlike the heavily armoured Ankylosaurus or the horned Triceratops, Edmontosaurus had no obvious body armour or huge horns to defend itself. Instead, its size, speed and possibly its social behaviour may have helped protect it from predators. Fossils even suggest that some Edmontosaurus populations may have travelled in large groups, giving them safety in numbers.

Size of an Edmontosaurus to average human

Edmontosaurus has left behind some incredible fossils. Bones, teeth, skulls and even remarkably well-preserved skin impressions have been discovered, helping palaeontologists piece together not just what this dinosaur looked like, but how it lived. Some Edmontosaurus specimens are so well preserved that scientists have been able to study soft-tissue impressions and the shape of the animal's body.

It may not have had the fearsome reputation of T. rex, but Edmontosaurus was one of the great survivors of the Late Cretaceous, a highly successful herbivore that shared its world with some of the most iconic dinosaurs in history.