Insights into Wear Patterns on Fossilized Teeth of Hadrosaurid Dinosaurs: Maiasaura peeblesorum – Recent studies suggest that juvenile Maiasaura may have consumed softer, nutrient-rich food compared to adults, indicating a significant level of parental care in these prehistoric creatures.

Maiasaura peeblesorum was a species of duck-billed dinosaur that lived approximately 75 to 80 million years ago during the late Cretaceous period.

These sizable herbivores were first discovered in Montana and are believed to have been highly social creatures, contrary to some dinosaurs that lived in more solitary habits, potentially showcasing varying reproductive strategies.

The extensive fossil discoveries of Maiasaura peeblesorum, especially its nest, have made it crucial for understanding the reproductive behaviors and ecology of numerous other duck-billed dinosaurs.

A recent study conducted by Dr. John Hunter from The Ohio State University and Dr. Christine Janis from the Universities of Bristol and Brown indicates that adults of Maiasaura peeblesorum exhibit more crushing wear on their teeth, while juveniles show more shearing wear. This suggests that juvenile dinosaurs were likely fed softer, more protein-rich foods than their parents.

“This behavior mirrors modern birds that feed their chicks while they are confined to the nest post-hatching,” stated Dr. Hunter.

“The instinct to nourish their young is an ancient trait.”

“Our findings suggest such nurturing behaviors existed long before the emergence of birds, likely extending back to the origins of dinosaurs.”

Juvenile Maiasaura peeblesorum were likely feeding on low-fiber, nutrient-rich foods like fruits, while adults consumed tougher, less nutritious, high-fiber plant materials.

Similar patterns of tooth wear can be seen in today’s herbivores, such as horses, antelopes, and cows, with young animals consuming low-fiber diets resembling tooth wear patterns found in young dinosaurs.

By analyzing the dental wear patterns in these dinosaurs, researchers propose that shifts in diet significantly contributed to early growth and development.

The study indicates that the adolescent diet of Maiasaura peeblesorum may have expedited growth during their first year.

Scientists are also exploring alternative interpretations of the findings. It’s possible that dinosaur parents shared partially regurgitated food with their young, a behavior still observed in modern avian species.

Alternatively, young Maiasaura may have ventured out and foraged independently, similar to behaviors seen in contemporary herbivorous lizards.

“While this scenario is unlikely since the young were probably helpless and dependent on parental feeding in the initial weeks post-hatching, understanding their remains could enhance scientists’ knowledge of dinosaurs’ advanced biological and social systems,” Dr. Hunter expressed.

“As we delve further back in time, the fossil record becomes sparsely populated, compelling paleontologists to draw insights from diverse sources throughout life’s history.”

“There remains much to uncover about even closely related dinosaurs.”

“Future studies should focus on the dental microwear of other younger dinosaur fossils and explore further hypotheses regarding dinosaur embryos and hatchlings.”

The team’s findings have been published in the journal Paleogeography, Paleoclimatology, Paleoecology.

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John P. Hunter & Christine M. Janis 2026. Tooth wear in juvenile and adult hadrosaurs: Implications for hadrosaur parental care. Maiasaura. Paleogeography, Paleoclimatology, Paleoecology 690: 113707; doi: 10.1016/j.palaeo.2026.113707