Juvenile Hadrosaur Metatarsal (IV) Bone | Judith River Formation | Montana

Hadrosaur sp. (Maiasaura?)Late Cretaceous (~74 MYO)Judith River FormationMontana, USA   Specimen approx. size: 9.5" x 3.5" x 2.5"   There are repaired cracks through the bone and slight surface erosion. Hadrosaurs, often called "duck-billed dinosaurs," are a family of ornithopod dinosaurs (family Hadrosauridae) that thrived during the Late Cretaceous period. They are among the most well-known and successful herbivorous dinosaurs. Hadrosaurs are characterized by: Broad, flattened rostrums (beak-like snouts) resembling a modern duck’s bill, used for cropping vegetation. Hundreds of tightly packed teeth forming a dental battery, ideal for grinding tough, fibrous plant material. Large, barrel-shaped torsos and relatively long, muscular tails, likely used for balance. Bipedal and quadrupedal locomotion. They could walk both on two legs (especially for faster movement) and on four (likely while grazing). Most hadrosaurs ranged from 7–10 meters (23–33 feet) in length, though some, li