Dinosaurs - Tsintaosaurus spinorhinus

  • Updated
    25/11/20
  • Read time
    2 minutes
Tsintaosaurus Click to enlarge image
Image: James Reece
© Australian Museum

Fast Facts

  • Classification
    Family
    Hadrosauridae

Introduction

Tsintaosaurus spinorhinus may have congregated in herds along the edges of lakes[mm1] , around 70 million years ago

Identification

Tsintaosaurus spinorhinus had:

  • a forward-pointing unicorn-like crest on its head which probably helped it to attract mates;
  • resonators in the tubular cavities inside its crest enabling it to produce distinctive mating calls;
  • a large tail to assist with swimming.

Habitat

Tsintaosaurus spinorhinus lived near lake shores.

Fossils description

Tsintaosaurus was named after the city of Tsingtao in Shandong Province, where the fossil was found. The species name spinorhinus refers to the spine-like crest on its head.

Evolutionary relationships

Tsintaosaurus spinorhinos was an ornithopod duck-bill dinosaur or hadrosaur (family Hadrosauridae).

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