Lambeosaurus

#18

by Kyle Morris on October 6, 2021

Lambeosaurus, or “Lambe’s lizard,” is named for the Canadian paleontologist Lawrence M. Lambe, who is believed to have discovered the first fossil material in 1902. It was named in his honor by William Parks in 1923. This animal has been found in the Canadian provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan.

Lambeosaurus

Artist Rendering of Lambeosaurus

As a hadrosaur, Lambeosaurus was a large herbivorous dinosaur. Standing over twelve feet tall, it reached lengths of over thirty feet. These large herbivores could weigh anywhere from two to three tons. It was similar in size to another hadrosaur, the Parasaurolophus.

The unique shape of its crest earned it the nickname “the hatchet-crested dinosaur.” Similar to the Parasaurolophus, it is believed that Lambeosaurus’ crest not only acted as a display to identify individuals and attract mates but was also used for communication. Scans of the skull have shown the inside of its crest to resemble a resonating chamber. An analysis of various specimens has shown that the crests of adults would have produced lower frequency calls, while the crests of juveniles made high-pitched vocalizations.

October is “dinosaur month!” Every weekday of this month, you can come back to our Kids site to read about my 20 favorite dinosaurs. I hope you’ll join me!