Dinosaur Encyclopedia Series Vol.35 Corythosaurus: Crest, Skeleton, Growth, and Life in the Late Cretaceous

Discover Corythosaurus, one of the remarkable crested hadrosaurs of the Late Cretaceous. Corythosaurus Encyclopedia explores what fossils can-and cannot-tell us about this large plant-eating dinosaur from western North America. At the center of the story is its extraordinary hollow, helmet-shaped crest. Readers can examine the structure of the crest, learn about the complex nasal passages inside it, and explore scientific hypotheses about visual display, communication, and sound resonance-while also discovering why the actual voice of Corythosaurus remains unknown. This illustrated dinosaur encyclopedia also examines the skeleton and body proportions of Corythosaurus, its beak and dental batteries, how it processed plants, changes during growth, fossilized skin impressions, its four-fingered hands, quadrupedal and possible bipedal movement, and its long tail. The book then places Corythosaurus in the river and floodplain environments of Late Cretaceous North America, especially the Dinosaur Park Formation of Alberta, Canada, and introduces animals that shared its world. Throughout the book, evidence from fossils is distinguished from scientific interpretation and from questions that remain unresolved. Inside the book: - Corythosaurus and its place among hadrosaurs - The meaning of the name "helmet lizard" - Corythosaurus casuarius and Corythosaurus intermedius - The large hollow cranial crest - The complex passages inside the crest - Scientific hypotheses about crest function - What scientists can-and cannot-say about its voice - Beak, dental batteries, and plant processing - Changes from young individuals to adults - Fossil evidence of the skin - Forelimbs and four-fingered hands - Quadrupedal movement and possible bipedal ability - The long tail and body support - Evidence concerning group behavior - Rivers and floodplains of the Dinosaur Park Formation - Animals that lived in the same ancient ecosystem - How fossil discoveries have changed reconstructions of Corythosaurus Designed for dinosaur enthusiasts, young readers, families, and anyone interested in how paleontologists reconstruct extinct animals from fossil evidence.