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Discover the Top 11 Fun and Fascinating Facts about Parasaurolophus You Never Knew!

illustration of parasaurolophus
Get ready to embark on a prehistoric journey as we unearth some fascinating and dino-mite fun facts about the captivating Parasaurolophus!

1. Parasaurolophus Opera

"Staurosaurus of a thousand voices" is preparing for a Parasaurolophus opera: Each Parasaurolophus had a unique and distinctive voice, thanks to its bony tubular crest filled with air cavities, suspected to be used for communication and socializing with other swoop-crested friends.
Source => sandia.gov

2. Crest Size Matters

Whoever said size doesn't matter never talked to a Parasaurolophus about its crest: Turns out, the crest of Parasaurolophus cyrtocristatus wasn't the hulking six-footer we thought, but actually shorter and more curved, likely due to its youthful immaturity. While it may not have been a snorkel or super sniffer, it sure did resonate with their mates as a sound-making, visual-aid billboard for dino-discussions.
Source => phys.org

3. Punk Rock Dino

Raise the roof (or the crest!): The Parasaurolophus, a dino superstar, rocked a head crest way before punk rockers made it trendy. But alas, this crest wasn't for looking rad while migrating to a dino jam; instead, it played air-strument: blowing air through its nostrils to blast loud tunes to its fellow dinos, making sure they stayed in touch.
Source => gagebeasleyshop.com

4. Jurassic Fashion Week

You'd think a Parasaurolophus walked out of a Dr. Seuss book with its snazzy headgear, but this dino was actually rocking a functional accessory fit for Jurassic fashion week: Sporting a 6-foot-long cranial crest that curled backwards, this haute couture herbivore utilized its stylish noggin for body temperature regulation, communication with fellow dinos, and making a lasting impression in the prehistoric dating scene.
Source => jacksonvillezoo.org

Cretaceous Band Practice

5. Cretaceous Band Practice

Move over, Dino-Flute! Here comes Parasaurolophus, the original headbanger of Cretaceous band practice: This dino's massive hollow crest was not just for style but played multiple roles like visual recognition of species and sex, acoustic resonance, and even thermoregulation amid rocking out to some prehistoric beats.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

6. Dino Long-Distance Callers

Who knew dinosaurs were the original long-distance callers? Before there were cellphones, the parasaurolophus had their own built-in phone plan, roaming charges not included: These dino-communicators used their distinct crest to create low-frequency honks, traveling over large distances, while the youngsters managed shorter distances with higher-frequency sounds, allowing for some quality herd banter and identification.
Source => smithsonianmag.com

7. Dino Maestro

Move over, Mozart and Beethoven, there's a new maestro in town: the one and only Parasaurolophus! With its tube-shaped crest, this dinosaur could produce an orchestra of sounds ranging from high-pitched shrieks to deep, low-frequency calls, as well as create unique tones for each individual, making for a head-bobbing dino ensemble you wouldn't want to miss.
Source => jurassic-park-ecology.fandom.com

8. Crest: Dino Swiss Army Knife

Whoever said Parasaurolophus was just having a bad hair day, obviously didn't know its crest was a multi-talented Swiss Army knife of the dinosaur world: This fancy headgear not only played a key role in communication, but also helped regulate body temperature, possibly cooled its brain and eyes, and could have even functioned as a snorkel!
Source => adventuredinosaurs.com

9. Squeaky Crest Gets Attention

Whoever said "squeaky wheel gets the grease" probably didn't realize that the Parasaurolophus took it a bit too literally: The youngsters of this dino species developed their unique, ridged crests very early in life, allowing them to produce high-pitched sounds as a means of communication, species recognition, or even asserting their dominance before they reached even a quarter of their adult size.
Source => answersingenesis.org

Jurassic Trumpeteer

10. Jurassic Trumpeteer

In Jurassic Park's lost and found department, honorable mentions go to the Parasaurolophus for its magnificent six-foot-long trumpet: This dino maestro's impressive head crest was actually a hollow chamber that produced a distinct, trumpet-like sound for communication, individual identification, and potentially romantic serenades within their herds.
Source => jacksonvillezoo.org

11. Cretaceous One-Note Trumpet

Did you hear about the Cretaceous trumpet? It had an outlandish hairstyle and played only one note: Parasaurolophus was a dinosaur with a distinctive cranial crest, which could measure over 2 meters long in some species, and was hollow with tubes connecting the nostrils to the end of the crest, possibly serving as a unique communication or thermoregulation tool.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

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