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These animals are members of the hadrosaur family - the most common group of dinosaurs in the late Cretaceous.

Walking with Dinosaurs: Death of a Dynasty

Anatotitan (meaning “Duck Titan” and also known as Anatosaurus and Edmontosaurus) was a hadrosaur from the Cretaceous. It was one of the last non-avian dinosaurs on Earth before the Cretaceous-Teritary extinction.

Physical appearance and biology[]

Anatotitan was a large hadrosaur. It had large, wide hind legs and short, chunky front legs.

Anatotitan had a large bill resembling a modern duck - hence its name. Inside its mouth was a large battery of teeth designed to grind vegetation.

In Walking with Dinosaurs, Anatotitan was mainly yellow with brown stripes. However, its underbelly and feet were white.

Behavior and traits[]

Anatotitan was among the last members of a dynasty of dinosaurs called the hadrosaurs. Like the other group members, it was characterized by a large, duck-like bill. However, within the bill was a large battery of teeth. These teeth were perfect for stripping vegetation and chewing it rather than the more primitive method of swallowing it and letting its digestive system do all the work.

Despite its relatively large size, Anatotitan was preyed upon by the North American apex predator, Tyrannosaurus rex. However, although it had few weapons of choice, it could run rather quickly. Like its ancestors, it could run on its hind legs. However, its speed never always guaranteed its safety.

In Walking with Dinosaurs[]

Death of a Dynasty[]

A large herd of Anatotitan were travelling across a large ash field to one of the many islands of greenery littered haphazardly around the fresh air.

Later, the herd was by a lake, drinking and feeding on the surrounding vegetation. However, while the Anatotitan were feeding, they were being patrolled by a Deinosuchus. Then, the herd sensed danger and scattered. The threat was a female Tyrannosaurus. One Anatotitan had a delayed reaction to the predator and could not flee in time. The tyrannosaur quickly slaughtered the herbivore.

Anatotitan and all the other non-avian dinosaurs were wiped out when the massive comet collided with Earth.

In Walking with Dinosaurs: A Natural History[]

Death of a Dynasty[]

A male Tyrannosaurus rex attacks a herd of Anatotitan to make them yield any elderly or sick members, hoping the potential victim can attract a mate. However, multiple large males move towards him to protect their herd, and ultimately, the Tyrannosaurus abandons his strike due to a wave of thick fog.

Two months after the Blanket Forest's volcano erupted, many Anatotitan were killed by the volcanic ash from the north at night. Furthermore, heavy rainfall occurs in the daytime, which leads to more juvenile deaths as the rain turns the dust in the bottom of their nests into quicksand. After all the remaining Anatotitan parents depart from the nesting grounds, Didelphodon proceeds to scavenge the abandoned nests.

Another herd of Anatotitan desperately searches for water and food in the stagnant Pierre Seaway, starving for food. A Deinosuchus had killed one of their members during the grazing, so they keep a close watch on the surrounding waters. Unfortunately, because they are focused on avoiding the Deinosuchus, they are unable to detect a female Tyrannosaurus and her chicks. The mother, T. rex, kills one of the duck-billed dinosaurs, but as she and her young feed on the carcass, they soon give it to multiple Deinosuchus, who becomes attracted to the scent of the hadrosaur's blood in the seaway.

Ultimately, Anatotitan goes extinct with the rest of the dinosaurs when the KT Extinction occurs.

Gallery[]

Behind the Scenes[]

Anatotitan is now classified as a species of Edmontosaurus and was renamed Edmontosaurus annectens.

List of appearances[]

Notes and references[]


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