Maiasaura

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***Maiasaura*** is a genus of hadrosaurid dinosaur that originated from Late Cretaceous North America. *Maiasaura* is first unlocked by the Hammond Foundation during island operations on Isla Tacaño.

## Characteristics

Perhaps the smallest hadrosaur in the *Evolution* series, *Maiasaura* is nevertheless a large hadrosaur, measuring nine meters in length and weighing in excess of 900kg. Its name translates to "*Good Mother Lizard*", in reference to it being the first dinosaur to show evidence of feeding hatchlings while they were still in the nest. Notable for having a bill rather than a snout or nose, *Maiasaura* feeds on leaves, branches, ferns and other plants. Their distinctive crest was likely used in head-butting contests. They can walk on four or two legs, and they most likely lived in vast herds. The base genome for *Maiasaura* is brown with white stripes running along its back, a white underbelly and a white head.

### Behaviour

*Maiasaura* behave similarly to other species of hadrosaur. Like others of its family, it prefers a moderately large enclosure with similar amounts of forest. A herd is a necessity for this dinosaur due to their high minimum social requirements. They can otherwise mix well with other herbivorous dinosaurs with large maximum population limits.

Like all other hadrosaurs, *Maiasaura* is vulnerable to predation from most carnivores. This means that its sole defense against predators is to avoid them.

## Paleontology

*Maiasaura* lived in Montana in the Late Cretaceous period. As a member of the saurolophinae branch of hadrosaurs, it lacked the complex crest of lambeosaurines such as *Tsintaosaurus*, but had a small spiky crest above the eyes. The first specimens of *Maiasaura* was an enormous nesting colony discovered between 1978 and 1979 by American paleontologists Robert Makela and Jack Horner, after a range of fossils were excavated from the Two Medicine Formation, Montana the previous year. The finds consisted of an adult dinosaur along with numerous juveniles and broken eggshells, and further investigation of the area found over 200 specimens, leading to the colloquial name "Egg Mountain". Since then, other finds have been uncovered around Montana. These finds also provided the first proof that large dinosaurs raised and fed their young. Over two hundred skeletons were found in various stages of growth; hatchlings, juveniles, young adults and fully grown adults. Each nest had around 30 to 40 eggs in a spiral pattern and covered with rotting vegetation to keep warm. The young grew up at a remarkable rate for an animal the size of *Maiasaura*, for by the time they reached one year old, they could leave the nest, suggesting they were warm blooded. However, despite the fact they had left the nest, they were still tended to by the adults. Because of these qualities, it dispelled the old notion that dinosaurs didn't care for their young and which gave the *Maiasaura* its name; meaning "*Good Mother Lizard*".

### Paleoecology

*Maiasaura* lived during the Late Cretaceous period, around 75-80 million years ago. The location of so many eggshells in close proximity suggests that Maiasaura lived in groups, while research has shown that they roamed forests which provided plenty of vegetation while hiding them from predators. It lived alongside of other dinosaurs such as the ceratopsians *Achelousarus* and *Einiosaurus*, the armoured nodosaur *Edmontonia*, hadrosaurs such as *Gryposaurus*, *Hypacrosaurus*, and *Prosaurolophus*, the small ornithopod *Orodromeus*, small theropods such as *Bambiraptor* and *Troodon*, as well as the two tyrannosaurs *Daspletosaurus* and *Gorgosaurus*.

## Skins

 NULL

 ALPINE

 COASTAL

 SAVANNAH

 WETLAND

 WOODLAND

## Trivia

* *Maiasaura* was first shown in the *Spinosaurus* species profile on May 11, 2018.
* *Maiasaura* was intended to be in *Jurassic Park: Operation Genesis*, but was ultimately scrapped due to time constraints.
* *Maiasaura* is the first dinosaur that is exclusive to the *Jurassic Park* novel canon to be featured in the game.
* *Maiasaura* appeared in the Inkwell *Jurassic Park III* Trading Cards alongside *Muttaburrasaurus*, possibly hinting at them being cloned by InGen.
* Despite Cabot Finch's claim that *Maiasaura* like to "butt heads", this behavior is absent from the game.
* *Maiasaura* is one of only two hadrosaurs ingame, the other being *Edmontosaurus*, that is depicted walking on all four legs and running on two as real hadrosaurs did.

## Reference

1. ↑ Frontier Developments. (May 11, 2018). *Species Profile - Spinosaurus* [Video]. YouTube. Retrieved October 26, 2019.