Duck-Billed Dinosaurs Reveal First Hooved Reptiles

Duck-Billed Dinosaurs: The First Hooved Reptiles

Recent discoveries of remarkably preserved “mummy” fossils from Wyoming have rewritten the story of dinosaur anatomy, revealing that some duck-billed dinosaurs like Edmontosaurus annectens sported hooves—a feature never before confirmed in any dinosaur or reptile[1][2]. These fossils, buried in ancient river channels, were preserved not as mineralized skin but as ultra-thin clay molds, capturing intricate details of scales, wrinkles, and even the texture of hooves[2][3]. The hind feet, in particular, bore wedge-shaped hooves similar to those of modern horses, while the forefeet had a different structure, marking the first known land vertebrate with such distinct limb postures[1][2].

How Science Reconstructed a Living Dinosaur

The process involved advanced CT scans, 3D imaging, and careful sediment analysis, allowing researchers to match fossilized footprints with the actual anatomy of these prehistoric giants[1][3]. This groundbreaking work not only reveals that duck-bills could walk both bipedally and quadrupedally, but also offers a new model for understanding how soft tissues are preserved in the fossil record[2][3]. By studying these “mummies,” scientists can now produce highly accurate reconstructions, giving us an unprecedented glimpse into the real-life appearance and behavior of dinosaurs that roamed North America over 66 million years ago[3].