Shantungosaurus giganteus

† Shantungosaurus giganteus is the type species of the largest known hadrosaurid dinosaur, from the Late Cretaceous of Shandong, China. Fossils of multiple individuals, including juveniles, were excavated, offering a rare growth series for hadrosaurs.

Diet & Feeding

Herbivore

Shantungosaurus giganteus was a plant-eating dinosaur. Herbivores typically fed on ferns, cycads, conifers, and other vegetation available during their era. Many herbivorous dinosaurs developed specialized teeth and digestive systems for processing tough plant material.

Time Period

Cretaceous Late Mesozoic Era

Shantungosaurus giganteus lived during the Cretaceous Late period of the Mesozoic Era, approximately 100,5 to 66,0 million years ago.

The final age of dinosaurs, featuring iconic species like Tyrannosaurus rex, Triceratops, and Velociraptor. Dinosaurs reached their peak diversity before the catastrophic asteroid impact at the Chicxulub crater ended the Mesozoic Era.