1994年業餘古生物學家奈特·墨菲(Nate Murphy)在菲利普斯郡的馬爾他發現了一隻完整、未擠壓變形的短冠龍骨骼,他將之暱稱為「艾維斯」(Elvis)。[7]隨後,墨菲和他的朱迪斯河恐龍研究所團隊有了更進一步的發現。2000年7月20日,暱稱為「李奧納多」(Leonardo)的JRF 115H標本,是一隻關節完全連接且部分木乃伊化的亞成體短冠龍骨骼,由丹·史蒂文生(Dan Stephenson)所發現。[3][8]它被認為是有史以來最令人驚豔的恐龍發現之一,並列入金氏世界紀錄。[9]他們後來又挖出了「羅貝塔」(Roberta),是一隻近乎完整的纖細骨骼;以及「花生」(Peanut),是一隻部分保存的幼年個體與一些皮膚印痕,於2002年由羅伯特·布瑞西(Robert E. Buresh)所發現,並展示於馬爾他的研究所中。[10]2008年5月,休士頓自然史博物館(英语:Houston Museum of Natural Science)的公關史蒂芬·科旺(Steven Cowan)在發現「李奧納多」的同一地區發現了暱稱為「馬可」(Marco)的短冠龍骨骼。[11]
除了上述特徵,短冠龍是身材典型的鴨嘴龍科,成體身長可達至少9公尺。[12]2010年葛瑞格利·保羅(英语:Gregory S. Paul)估計身長最大值為11公尺及體重7噸。[15]如同其他鴨嘴龍類,短冠龍也具有類似臉頰的構造,將食物容納在嘴中,並用由數百顆堆疊牙齒構成的齒系來進行有效率的咀嚼。[12]這種咀嚼能力在爬行動物中相當少見,但常見於鳥臀目恐龍。
^Horner, John R.; Weishampel, David B.; Forster, Catherine A. Hadrosauridae. Weishampel, David B.; Osmólska, Halszka; Dodson, Peter (编). The Dinosauria 2nd. Berkeley: University of California Press. 2004: 438–463. ISBN 0-520-24209-2.
^ 3.03.13.23.3Murphy, Nate L.; Trexler, David; Thompson, Mark. "Leonardo," a mummified Brachylophosaurus from the Judith River Formation. Carpenter, Kenneth (编). Horns and Beaks: Ceratopsian and Ornithopod Dinosaurs. Bloomington and Indianapolis: Indiana University Press. 2006: 117–133. ISBN 0-253-34817-X.
^Sternberg, Charles M. A new hadrosaur from the Oldman Formation of Alberta: Discussion of nomenclature. Canadian Department of Resource Development Bulletin. 1953, 128: 1–12.
^Horner, John R. A new hadrosaur (Reptilia, Ornithischia) from the Upper Cretaceous Judith River Formation of Montana. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 1988, 8 (3): 314–321. doi:10.1080/02724634.1988.10011714.
^ 6.06.1Prieto-Marquez, Alberto. New information on the cranium of Brachylophosaurus, with a revision of its phylogenetic position. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 2005, 25 (1): 144–156. doi:10.1671/0272-4634(2005)025[0144:NIOTCO]2.0.CO;2.
^ 12.012.112.212.3"Brachylophosaurus." In: Dodson, Peter & Britt, Brooks & Carpenter, Kenneth & Forster, Catherine A. & Gillette, David D. & Norell, Mark A. & Olshevsky, George & Parrish, J. Michael & Weishampel, David B. The Age of Dinosaurs. Publications International, LTD. p. 134. ISBN0-7853-0443-6.
^Weishampel, David B.; Horner, Jack R. Hadrosauridae. Weishampel, David B.; Osmólska, Halszka; Dodson, Peter (编). The Dinosauria 1st. Berkeley: University of California Press. 1990: 534–561. ISBN 0-520-06727-4.
^Paul, G.S., 2010, The Princeton Field Guide to Dinosaurs, Princeton University Press p. 304
^Prieto-Márquez, A.; Wagner, J.R. A new species of saurolophine hadrosaurid dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous of the Pacific coast of North America. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica. 2013, 58 (2): 255–268. doi:10.4202/app.2011.0049.
^Rothschild, B.M.; Tanke, D.H.; Helbling II, M.; Martin, L.D. Epidemiologic study of tumors in dinosaurs. Naturwissenschaften. 2003, 90 (11): 495–500. PMID 14610645. doi:10.1007/s00114-003-0473-9.
^Tweet, Tweet, Justin S.; Chin, Karen; Braman, Dennis R.; Murphy, Nate L. Probable gut contents within a specimen of Brachylophosaurus canadensis (Dinosauria: Hadrosauridae) from the Upper Cretaceous Judith River Formation of Montana. PALAIOS. 2008, 23 (9/10): 624–635. doi:10.2110/palo.2007.p07-044r.
^Stokstad, Erik. Dinosaur 'Mummy' Unveiled. Science Magazine. merican Association for the Advancement of Science. [18 October 2002]. (原始内容存档于2021-08-19).
^Tanke, D.H. and Brett-Surman, M.K. 2001. Evidence of Hatchling and Nestling-Size Hadrosaurs (Reptilia:Ornithischia) from Dinosaur Provincial Park (Dinosaur Park Formation: Campanian), Alberta, Canada. pp. 206-218. In: Mesozoic Vertebrate Life—New Research Inspired by the Paleontology of Philip J. Currie. Edited by D.H. Tanke and K. Carpenter. Indiana University Press: Bloomington. xviii + 577 pp.