Diplodocus Size report

Diplodocus is very similar to Brachiosaurus, and Samuel Wendell Williston first discovered its fossilized skeleton in 1878. Diplodocus lived in western North America at the end of the Jurassic period, dating from 150 million to 147 million years ago. It is one of the easiest dinosaurs to identify, with a huge body, long neck and tail, and strong limbs.

Diplodocus was considered the longest dinosaur is ever known on the planet. It was large enough to deter predators such as Allosaurus, and Ceratosaurus found in the same formation (possibly contemporaneously). Diplodocus is longer than Apatosaurus and Brachiosaurus, but it is not heavy because of its short torso and thin body. Although Diplodocus had a long neck, due to the small number and toughness of the neck bones, its neck could not bend freely like plesiosaurs.

Diplodocus fossils are relatively common today, and the skeleton model of Diplodocus is the most widely known, exhibited in many museums around the world. However, although biologists have found more complete skeletons, they have rarely found skulls. Let's learn more about this large herbivorous diplodocid sauropod dinosaur member.

Diplodocus Size and Appearance

Although Liang Long's body is very large, Liang Long's head is slender and small. Its nostrils are on the top of its head. The front of the mouth has small, flat teeth, while the sides and back of the mouth are toothless. Its front legs are shorter than its hind legs, with five toes on each foot. There is a huge and curved claw on the inner toe of the forelimb, which is a sharp weapon. Diplodocus has relatively thin backbones and a thin body, with an average weight of only a dozen tons, far less than the similar Brachiosaurus. Its long tail is like a whip, and its thick and strong four legs support its long body like pillars to keep balance with the tail. The long tail can help it resist predators and drive away other small animals wherever it goes.

Average Size of Diplodocus

Diplodocus was the longest dinosaur in the world, with a neck length of 7.5 meters and a tail of 13 and 14 meters. It can grow up to 24-26 meters long and 8-9 meters high. It was also one of the heaviest dinosaurs, with an average weight of 25,000-70,000 kg. But compared with Diplodocus, its average weight is still smaller. The typical lifespan of the Diplodocus was between 70-80 years.

Difference Between Diplodocus and Brachiosaurus

Diplodocus and Brachiosaurus are herbivorous dinosaurs with long necks and are both one of the largest dinosaurs. And many friends cannot tell the difference between the two dinosaurs. Here we will take a look at how they look from the outside. Intuitively distinguish Diplodocus from Brachiosaurus.

1. The main difference between Diplodocus and Brachiosaurus is their different standing stances. Viewed from the side, the forelimbs of Brachiosaurus are much longer than the hind limbs, so it is somewhat similar to a giraffe, with its head and neck always kept upright. However, Diplodocus's hind limbs are a little longer than its forelimbs, so its neck and tail are almost parallel to the ground.
2. In addition, although these two dinosaurs have long necks and long tails, Diplodocus has a longer neck and tail, while Brachiosaurus is taller. This is mainly because the feeding habits of the two are different. Brachiosaurus mainly ate the leaves of the tree crown, while Diplodocus mainly ate low bushes and grass.

Final Words

Although Diplodocus's neck was long, it could not be lifted; it weighed more than ten tons, but the torso was relatively small. Diplodocus is a terrestrial animal that mainly feeds on leaves in the forest. Its long neck and sharp teeth allow them to gnaw on various tender and juicy leaves and trees. Paleontologists speculated that Diplodocus lay eggs, and it took about ten years for an egg to reach sexual maturity from hatching. Diplodocus lays eggs without a fixed nest.