Photo by Josh Hofer on Flickr
Learn Before You Go
- Scientific Name: Edmontonia
- Pronunciation: ed-mon-TONE-ee-ah
- Name Means: from Edmonton (the formation where the first fossil was found)
- Diet: Herbivore
- Fossils Found: Montana and Alberta, Canada
- Wikipedia: Edmontonia
Herbivoracious
Edmontonia was a herbivore. Paleontologists look at the shape of the teeth and fossilized stomach contents to determine what a dinosaur ate. No stomach contents have been found for Edmontonia yet, but its beak and flat cheek teeth resemble other plant-eating dinosaurs as well as other herbivores alive today.
The landscaping along the trail features plants that are related to the plants that lived during the Late Cretaceous period and were likely food sources for herbivores like Edmontonia. Look for ferns, palms, magnolias, and cedars.
Bakker's iconic sketch of a charging Edmontonia. It ends up that the snout was drawn too short for this genus actually.
How are a Panda and an Edmontonia Similar?
The Edmontonia on the trail is shown with black-and-white striped spikes. While paleontologists have no information on the color of Edmontonia (or any dinosaur) right now, because even when dinosaur skin is preserved the color pigments are lost, the colors shown on the Edmontonia model are certainly reasonable speculation.
You might think the bold patterns on the Edmontonia model would call attention to it. A panda is pure black and white, which you would also think should make it stand out. But in its natural forest environment with alternating spots of sun and shade, the alternating colors actually blend into the shadows more than a single solid color would. Keep that in mind next time you see pandas, porcupines, or boldly colored dinosaurs!