Dipl
odocus’s
nec
k
an
d
ta
il
m
a
de(^) u
p (^) m
ost of its length.
Sauropods were the heaviest, longest,
and tallest animals ever to walk on
land. They were herbivores, and
would have had to graze continually.
Sauropods
How many neck vertebrae does the Diplodocus have?
192
Age of the dinosaurs
Tiny-brained eating machines
Sauropods had tiny heads compared
to their bodies. Peg-shaped
teeth were used to pull
up vegetation.Look at the size of it!
Imagine a dinosaur that was
as long as a tennis court – an
adult Diplodocus was!
Around the world
Sauropods have
been found all
over the world.
Mamenchisaurus grew to
22 m (72 ft) in length in
Jurassic China.Camarasaurus reached a
monstrous 23 m (75 ft) in
Jurassic North America.Barapasaurus grew to
lengths of 18 m (59 ft) and
roamed Jurassic India.Vulcanodon was just 6.5 m
(21 ft) when it prowled
Jurassic Zimbabwe.Stones in the gut
Like other sauropods,
Diplodocus swallowed
stones to help break
down tough plant fibres.Gizzard
stonesAdult human
skeletonGizzardPeg-shaped
teeth.Diplodocus skullDiplodocus
skeleton