DINOSAURS
Diplodocus
It’s highly likely that it was
able to crack its whip-like
tail at supersonic speeds,
using it as a primary form
of attack or defenceTail
There were as many as
80 caudal vertebrae in
the tail of the DiplodocusVertebrae
Running along its back,
like other sauropods,
were triangular spines on
its vertebraeSpine
Diplodocus
We find out how this mighty
dinosaur once lived
Diplodocus is one of the most famous
dinosaurs. It belonged to the group
know n as the sauropodomorphs and
was around in the Late Jurassic period –
specifi cally the Kimmeridgian and Tithonian
eras roughly 154-150 million years ago. It
reached sizes of up to 25 metres (82 feet) in
length and was found in what is now North
America. There were four species of Diplodocus,
w ith the largest of these being Seismosaurus,
which translates to ‘ground shaker’.
Diplodocus was part of the diplodocid family,
sharing the same characteristic of hav ing 15
neck vertebrae, short forelimbs compared to
the rest of its body and a whip-like tail. Its giant
neck made up a large proportion of its body, but
there is still some contention as to whether it
held its neck vertically or horizontally. Its
rectangular skull contained huge eye sockets
and nasal chambers. Studies of its teeth suggest
that Diplodocus fed using what is know n as
branch stripping, where the branch of a tree is
grasped in a creature’s jaw and then pulled
sharply up or dow n, tearing off foliage.
Diplodocus was the largest dinosaur around.
It was later eclipsed by other sauropods, but it
roamed the tallest for at least a few million
years. Numerous bones have been found and
studied by palaeontologists, providing an
insight into how these giant dinosaurs were
able to support themselves and how they lived.© Beatrice MurchDiplodocus feet are believed
to have been fleshy and
cushioned by thick pads,
much like those of elephants