Hadrosaurus Characteristics

Hadrosaurus measured 23 to 32 feet (7 - 10 metres) in length and weighed around 7 tons. It had a bulky body, a stiff tail and 4 legs. Hadrosaurus was a bipedal dinosaur for the purpose of running, however, it could use its forelimbs to support itself while grazing. Their rear legs were much larger than their front legs and they had hoof-like nails on their feet. Hadrosaurus was duck-billed which was toothless but had many cheek teeth. Hadrosaurus may have had a crest on top of its head. Hadrosaurus was a herbivorous dinosaur and its teeth suggest that it ate twigs and leaves.

In 1858, a skeleton of a dinosaur from this genus was the first full dinosaur skeleton found in North America and, in 1868, it became the first ever mounted dinosaur skeleton.

Hadrosaurus foulkii is the only species in this genus and, as of 1991, is the official state dinosaur of New Jersey - a decision brought about by a local teacher, Joyce Berry.

Hadrosaurus was named in 1858 by paleontologist Joseph Leidy from a skull-less skeleton and hundreds of teeth that were found in Haddonfield, New Jersey, USA.