Parasaurolophus tubicen

Basic Information

Anatomy

Parasaurolophus tubicen are known to reach 10 meters of length and 4 meters tall to the crest when fully grown. They can weight up from 2 to 3 tons.

One of the most distinguishable traits of this dinosaur is its crest. Parasaurolophus tubicen has an elongated, hollow crest on the back of its head. This crest can reach 2 meters in length and its connected to the respiratory system of the animal. Parasaurolophus tubicen uses this crest to attract members of the opposite sex and, most important, to communicate.

Parasaurolophus tubicen walk primarily on its two back feet. However, when moving slowly for eating or drinking, they'll use their front arms to stand and lower their heads. Their back legs are very long and are used to make long runs when faced with predators.

Biological Traits

The most notable change in the lifespan pf Parasaurolophus tubicen is the growth of its crest. Hatchlings are born crestless, only with a small bump in the back of their heads. As they grow, their crest elongates with them. Their skin colors also change as they grow.

Genetics and Reproduction

Lambeosaurines like Parasaurolophus tubicen mate in a very particular way. Females will move in circles and from side to side making sounds in a melodic pattern. This patterns tend to have big silent moments periodically. Males then try to fill the silent spaces with melodic sounds. Some Parasaurolophus tubicen have accustomed to attend human tribes in Heiles where they take advantage of their annual mating ritual and the drums they use to produce better music. Once a pair has being made, both dinosaurs are bonded for life. They reproduce in an act known as "cloacal kiss" and wait around 3 weeks for the female to lay their eggs.

The females tend to separate from the herds and look for very dense bushes to place their eggs. This is done due to the fact that hatchlings are generally to slow to keep up with the adults and Parasaurolophus tubicen is at disadvantage when facing carnivores like Tyrannosaurus rex or @[Dakotaraptor steini]. The eggs last around 2 weeks to hatch and the hatchlings immediately start eating the bushes where they are hatched.

At this early stages, Parasaurolophus tubicen relies on camouflage and dense vegetation to survive. As they grow older into juveniles, around 2 years after hatching, they become big enough to rejoin their herds, which are usually not too far away from their nesting forest. When a juvenile hears the calls of their herd, they instinctively use their crest for the first time to call their herd. They then join their herd and grow into adulthood.

However, almost all the population of

Parasaurolophus tubicen

migrates from the eastern side of Mesos to the west in the grand migration leaded by the Triceratops horridus . They make their bonds before crossing Odese and reproduce in the other side of the continent to lay nests close to those of the Triceratops horridus. They take advantage of the Triceratops horridus nature to stand their ground to defend their nests from the predators of western side of Mesos.

Ecology and Habitats

Parasaurolophus tubicen prefers large open spaces where it can eat long grass and watch for predators. However they require forests and areas with dense vegetation to lay their eggs and keep them safe.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Parasaurolophus tubicen likes to eat long grasses and bushes. It can also be seeing leaves from low trees and even some fruits.

Additional Information

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Parasaurolophus tubicen can be found all throughout the eastern side of Mesos, except when they migrate west with the Triceratops horridus.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

They possess really good perception in general. They have good bilateral vision used to guard for predators at any moment. Parasaurolophus tubicen also has very good smell as its scent receptors can also be found along the outer portion of the crest. But their hearing must be one the best characteristics of this animal, picking very subtle sounds easily.

Scientific Name

Parasaurolophus tubicen

Origin/Ancestry

Kirtland Formation - Cretaceous Period

Lifespan

40 years

Conservation Status

Least Concern

Average Height

4 meters

Average Weight

2 tons

Average Length

10 meters