Anatotitan

Anatotitan
Biological information
Attributes	Large, duck-like beak; short fore legs, long hind legs; one of the last dinosaurs
Diet	Vegetation
Fossil finds	North America
Temporal fossil range	Cretaceous 71 to 65mya
In Walking with...
TV appearances	Walking with Dinosaurs: Death of a Dynasty

       

“	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 was a hadrosaur from the Cretaceous. It was one of the last non-avian dinosaurs on Earth before the mass extinction event.

Physical appearance and biology

Anatotitan was a large hadrosaur. It had very large and wide hind legs and its front legs were short and chunky.

Anatotitan had a large bill that resembled that of 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 and bill. 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 members of the group, it was characterized by a large, duck-like bill. Within the bill was a large battery of teeth. These teeth were perfect for stripping vegetation and then chewing it rather than the more primitive method of swallowing it and lets 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 very few weapons of choice, it had the ability to run rather quickly. Like its ancestors, it could run on its hind legs. However, its speed never always guaranteed it safety.

In Walking with Dinosaurs

Death of a Dynasty

A large herd of Anatotitan were traveling 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 they were feeding, they were being patrolled by a Deinosuchus. Then, the herd sensed danger and scattered. The danger was a female Tyrannosaurus. One Anatotitan had a delayed reaction to the predator and was unable to flee in time. The herbivore was quickly slaughtered by the tyrannosaur.

When the massive comet collided with Earth, Anatotitan along with all the other non-bird dinosaurs were wiped out.

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 with hopes that 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 from the volcanic ash that came from the north in the night. Furthermore in the day time heavy rainfall occurs 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 proceed 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 watches. Because they are focused on avoiding 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 her and her young feed on the carcass they soon give it to multiple Deinosuchus who became attracted to the scent of the hadrosaur's blood in the seaway.

Ultimately, Anatotitan goes extinct along 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

• Walking with Dinosaurs
  • New Blood (cameo, non-canonical)
  • Death of a Dynasty
• Walking with Dinosaurs Sticker Book
• Walking with Dinosaurs: A Natural History
  • Death of a Dynasty
• Walking With Dinosaurs: The Official Sticker Album
• The Complete Guide to Prehistoric Life