Diplodocus

Diplodocus
Diplodocus, Marsh, 1878

number on the map: 29

Superorder: Dinosauria

Clade: Saurischia

Diplodocus was one of the largest herbivorous dinosaurs in the world. It owes its name to the characteristic caudal vertebrae – double-beamed chevron bones. It lived in North America. Currently the genus Diplodocus includes three species: Diplodocus longus, Diplodocus karnegii and Diplodocus hallorum. Initially, it was believed that the Diplodocus lived in water because it had specifically located nostrils at the top of the skull. Later, however, studies showed that such a large animal would not have been able to breathe with the body submerged because the water would exert too much pressure on the chest and Diplodocus would not be able to take air in when inhaling.

body length: 35 m
body mass: 10 000–50 000 kg
temporal range: 150–147 mya