Diplodocus

Name: Diplodocus

Pronounced: DIP-low DOCK-us

Meaning: double beam

Type: Sauropod

Length: 26m

Diet: Herbivore

Period: Late Jurassic

Years: 155 - 145 million years ago

Location: USA

Description: Diplodocus is a genus of large, herbivorous dinosaur that lived during the Late Jurassic Period, about 155-150 million years ago. It was a member of the group of dinosaurs called the sauropods, which includes some of the largest and most massive dinosaurs ever to have lived. Diplodocus was a long, slender dinosaur, with an estimated length of about 90-100 feet and a weight of up to 20 tons. It had a long, slender neck and a long, whip-like tail, which it may have used for balance or for defense against predators. It had a small head with small, peg-like teeth, which it used to crop plants rather than chew them. Diplodocus is known from a number of well-preserved fossil specimens, including several complete skeletons and skulls, which have helped paleontologists learn more about the anatomy and behavior of this dinosaur. It is known from North America and Africa, and is named after the Greek words 'diplos,' meaning 'double,' and 'dokos,' meaning 'beam,' in reference to the distinctive double-beamed chevron bones that it had in its tail. Diplodocus was a herbivorous dinosaur, feeding on a variety of plants including ferns, cycads, and conifers. It is considered a primitive sauropod, and is thought to be closely related to other members of this group such as Apatosaurus and Barosaurus. Diplodocus is important because it is one of the best-known sauropods, and provides insight into the anatomy and behavior of this group of dinosaurs. It is also significant because it is one of the largest and most massive dinosaurs ever to have lived, and provides important evidence for the evolution of gigantism in dinosaurs.

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