The longest dinosaurs belonged to the genus Diplodocus. We know them from whole skeletons. Diplodocus is the most studied genus, reaching a length of 27 m, however, from the incomplete skeleton of a seismosaur, one can judge that longer diplodocus could exist. This fact indicates that in the history of the earth they were the longest of all vertebrates. The Diplodocus constitution resembled suspension bridges, their legs were huge pillars, they had very long necks, and their tails were even longer. However, although the diplodocus was very long, it was not as heavy as, for example, sauropods, due to the special arrangement of their skeletons. The heads of the diplodocus were elongated, large nostrils were located right near the eyes at the top, and the teeth were small, but sharp.
Translated from Greek, "diplodocus" means "two-bar". The animal received this name due to the unusual structure of the tail. Each caudal vertebra was accompanied by a long bone, which was located on both sides of the vertebrae, providing reliable protection for the blood vessels and strength. Thanks to such a reliable structure, the diplodocus fought them off from the attacking opponents. Due to the long length of the diplodocus, scientists had the following question: how did it move? According to some, during movement, the head of the animal was located horizontally in front, and the tail - behind, but at the same height. Presumably, the diplodocus got up on its hind legs and could reach with its head to the tops of trees to eat. The diplodocus had teeth only in the front of the mouth, just like its counterparts.
Diplodocus had delicate teeth that worked like a comb, collecting soft parts of plants. They could eat both low vegetation and tree leaves.
Maximum length: 27m
Time: Late Jurassic
Fossil Finds: North America (Western USA)
Diplodocus
Diplodo ± k (Latin Diplodocus)- a genus of lizard-like dinosaurs from the sauropod group. The first fossilized skeleton was found in 1877 in the Rocky Mountains (Colorado) by paleontologist Samuel Williston. Later, other remains were discovered, all of them dated to 150-147 million years old.
The genus lived during the late Jurassic period on the territory of modern North America, in its western part. Diplodocus remains are among the most abundant dinosaur fossils in the Morrison Formation.
Diplodocus is considered one of the most easily identifiable dinosaur species. It is the largest dinosaur known from complete skeletons. The large size of the diplodocus was probably a deterrent for predators of that time - allosaurus and ceratosaurus, the remains of which were found in the same layers as the remains of the diplodocus.
| Name | Class | Superorder | Detachment | Suborder |
| Diplodocus | Reptiles | Dinosaurs | Lizard | Sauropodomorphs |
| Infraorder | Height / Length | The weight | Where did you live | When he lived |
| Sauropods | 10m / 27-35m | 20-30 t. | North America | Jurassic period (150 million years ago) |
The name of this genus of dinosaurs was given by the American paleontologist Charles Marsh in 1878. The word diplodocus comes from two words of the ancient Greek language διπλ | ος (diplos) - double and δοκ | ς (dokos) - ray, beam. The name is given because of the structural features of the tail bones, which have double spinous processes in the lower part.
Previously, a similar structure of the vertebrae was considered characteristic only of diplodocus, but later, similar vertebrae were found in other sauropods, for example, in Mamenchisaurus.
It was one of the real giants of the late Jurassic period. According to the calculations of the researcher David Gillette, carried out in 1991, the dimensions of the diplodocus could reach 54 meters in length and weigh 113 tons. Such estimates of the sizes turned out to be incorrect due to the incorrectly indicated number of vertebrae. According to modern estimates, the real size of the giant turned out to be much lower.
Two species of diplodocus and predators (in black)
Diplodocus reached an average length of 27 meters, according to scientists, the size of the largest individuals could reach 35 meters. Most of them were on the neck and tail. According to some estimates, the weight of the diplodocus was 10–20 tons, and according to others, 20–80 tons. It is possible that there were dinosaurs larger than the diplodocus, for example, the supersaurus. However, their skeletons were not found entirely, but only in fragments.
The neck and tail bones of the diplodocus were hollow. The neck consisted of 15 vertebrae, possibly filled with communicating air sacs. The diplodocus's tail was very long and consisted of 80 vertebrae, nearly double that of some other sauropods. The huge tail performed important functions: it may have served as an excellent weapon of defense, and also served as a counterweight for the long neck.
The middle part of the tail vertebrae has an unusual shape with double processes, which gave the diplodocus its name. The outgrowths could play the role of supporting the tail, and could also provide protection for blood vessels from squeezing.
The head was small compared to the size of the animal. The skull had an unpaired nasal opening, located not at the tip of the muzzle, but in the upper part of the head in front of the eyes. Narrow scapula-shaped teeth were found only in the front of the mouth. The limbs of the diplodocus were five-toed, with short massive claws on the inner toes. The front legs are much shorter than the hind legs.
Due to its numerous remains, diplodocus is one of the most studied dinosaur species.
During the period from 1878 to 1924, several species belonging to the genus Diplodocus were described. The first skeleton was discovered by Benjamin Mange and Samuel Williston in 1878 in the western United States, in the state of Colorado. Based on this specimen, the famous paleontologist of that time G. Marsh described a new species, calling it Diplodocus longus. Subsequently, fossils of diplodocus were found in other western states: Wyoming, Utah and Montana.
Several species of diplodocus are known, all of which are herbivorous.
Diplodocus longus- the first species found.
Diplodocus carnegii- named after Andrew Carnegie. Best known for its nearly complete skeleton. On the basis of the skeleton, copies were cast in many museums around the world. Described and named by John Hetcher in 1901.
Diplodocus hayi- Partial skeleton discovered in Wyoming in 1902. Described in 1924.
Diplodocus hallorum- first described by David Gillette in 1991 as a seismosaurus.
The concept of the posture and mode of movement of the diplodocus changed more than once during the 20th century. Earlier, due to the position of the nasal openings at the top of the skull, it was assumed that the diplodocus lived in an aquatic environment. Similar ideas were also about other sauropods, in particular about Brachiosaurus. In the course of a study by Kenet Kermak in 1951, it was found that sauropods could not breathe while underwater, due to strong pressure on the chest.
Since 1970, there has been a consensus that all sauropods were land animals. Probably, the diplodocus led a gregarious lifestyle, as evidenced by the group footprints. They ate the leaves of low trees.
The posture concept of diplodocus has changed significantly since the beginning of the 20th century. In a classic reconstruction by Dr. Oliver Hay, the diplodocus is depicted with legs outstretched like a lizard's. William Holland believed that the Diplodocus needed a belly trench to get around. Later, Diplodocus was depicted with a high neck. But studies using computer models showed that in the free position the neck was not vertical, but horizontal.
The long neck of the diplodocus is also controversial. Research from Columbia University in 1992 showed that such a neck would require a heart weighing 1.6 tons, or a tenth of the animal's weight. It has been suggested that there may have been additional hearts.
Diplodocus skull
Diplodocus has very unusual teeth compared to other sauropods. The crowns are elongated, elliptical in cross-section, the vertices represent triangular points. The wear of the teeth of a diplodocus differs from the wear of the teeth of other sauropods, which indicates a distinctive way of feeding. Diplodocus could consume more plant varieties, which increased their chances of survival. Having a long flexible neck, the diplodocus could feed on vegetation from different tiers (low, medium high). This is also suggested by the fact that the forelimbs were shorter than the hind limbs.
The Carnegie Museum of Natural History houses the skull of a young diplodocus. This small skull was discovered in 1921. After examining it, specialists in paleontology in 2010 came to the conclusion that the shape of the head of the diplodocus changed greatly as it grew. This may indicate that the nutrition of young and adults was different.
Allosaurus and Diplodocus
Probably, diplodocus laid eggs in small depressions over a large area covered with vegetation. While there is no clear evidence, this can be judged from the more studied Saltasaurus lifestyle. The BBC documentary Walking the Dinosaurs depicted a female using an ovipositor to lay eggs. However, this is fiction on the part of the filmmakers.
Based on a number of studies of bone histology, it was concluded that diplodocus, like other sauropods, grew very rapidly. They reached puberty at the age of just over ten years.
Today it is considered the largest saurus (of course only after the seismosaurus - 36m in length and argentiosaurus - 40m), its long neck consisted of 15 vertebrae.
Diplodocus possessed a long neck and tail, ate the leaves of trees, and to grind them in the stomach they swallowed stones, moved on 4 legs.
What they ate and what way of life they led
A herd way of life, they ate young shoots, cones, tree leaves and needles, they also ate seafood (shellfish, small squid, algae).Diplodocus mainly lived in swampy areas, they knew how to swim. They went on land to lay eggs and eat food. The eggs weren't big in size, just like today's basketballs. Oviposition proceeded in the same way as at: they bury their eggs in the sand and go away, leaving the offspring unprotected. When the little saurus hatched, they tried to hide in the thicket of the forest so that the predators would not feast on them. But when they grew up, then not a single predator could resist this colossus, only a flock of predators could defeat them.
Diplodocus died out at the end of the Jurassic period, scientists put forward several reasons for the extinction of this species:
- The emergence of new predators
- Changes in climatic conditions in the habitat of dinosaurs
- Because they ate a huge amount of greenery and new shoots, food became much less and in the end it was not at all
Details about the structure of the body
The diplodocus was extremely huge, the length and weight of the body were very impressive. True, because of such a size, he could not move quickly, although this is of no use to him, tk. reaching maturity, his power surpassed the strength of those who dared to attack him.
Dimensions (edit)
In length, the largest were 36m, average length 26-27mIt was 14-15m high
Body weight - from 18 to 75t
Head
She was very small, like his brain (did not exceed the size of a chicken egg), especially if you look at his body, it was kept on the neck (7.5-8m). The nostrils were located near the eyes, not in the way we are usually used to (at the end of the muzzle).
The jaws were poorly developed, the teeth were short and were more intended for picking greens than for chewing them, therefore, while eating food, the dinosaur still swallowed stones in order to grind the accumulated food in the stomach. Plus, the teeth were not quite evenly spaced.
Limbs
There were 4 of them, they were very powerful and strong, because it would be impossible to maintain such a huge body weight on small and weak legs, the hind legs were slightly longer than the front ones. On which were located claws that could injure any predator.The huge tail served for protection and communication in the flock. It consisted of 70 vertebrae and was very mobile.
Video about diplodocus.
Diplodocus - "double beam"
Period of existence: Jurassic period - about 150-138 million years ago.
Squad: Lizard Tazovye
Suborder: Sauropods
Common sauropod features:
- walked on four legs
- fed on vegetation
- long tail and neck with a small head
- huge size
Dimensions:
length - 27-35 m
height - up to 10 m
weight - 20-30 tons.
Food: ferns, coniferous vegetation
Discovered: 1877, USA
Diplodocus is a Jurassic dinosaur. Diplodocus is a representative of lizard-like dinosaurs - sauropod. Diplodocus was truly gigantic in size and is known as one of the longest dinosaurs. Seismosaurus, which reached a length of 50 meters, could compete with him. In addition, Diplodocus is one of the most famous and best studied herbivorous dinosaurs.
Diplodocus head:
The head of the diplodocus, in comparison with the body, was small and held on a neck that was about 7.5 meters long. Diplodocus's brain was tiny - about the size of a hen's egg.
The diplodocus jaws were rather poorly developed. The peg-shaped short teeth were intended for plucking leaves from trees, as well as algae. The position of the teeth was uneven. All teeth are concentrated in front and looked like a sieve or comb.
Another feature of diplodocus is the location of the nostrils. The nostrils of the diplodocus were located not like in other dinosaurs at the end of the muzzle, but shifted towards the eyes.
Diplodocus limbs and body structure:
Diplodocus moved on four powerful, pillar-like legs. The hind legs of the dinosaur are slightly longer than the front ones, so the body tilted slightly forward. Scientists hypothesize that to reduce muscle tension when walking, the diplodocus's toes were raised off the ground.
The body weight and length of the diplodocus were enormous. Therefore, in order for the animal to move freely. The weight had to be supported by at least three legs at the same time. Therefore, it is obvious that the diplodocus could not move quickly. The weight of the long neck counterbalanced an even longer tail.
Diplodocus tail, in addition to balance, served as a means of communication between diplodocus in the herd.
The end of the tail resembled a whip. Therefore, the tail also performed a protective function. The tail of a diplodocus consisted of 70 vertebrae. For comparison - neck 15, back 10. The tail was very mobile and massive. Swinging it like a whip, the diplodocus could defend itself from predators. The blows with such a powerful tail were quite painful, given the mass of the dinosaur.
Large claws on the front legs were also a formidable weapon of the Diplodocus. Rising on its hind legs and leaning on its tail, the diplodocus could simply trample the attacker.
Given the size of the dinosaur, it can be assumed that the adult diplodocus had no enemies.
Diplodocus nutrition:
It is known that the diplodocus was a herbivorous dinosaur, but the structure of the jaws and teeth causes a lot of controversy among scientists about what this dinosaur ate. After all, in order to feed such a carcass, it is necessary to eat a huge amount of low-calorie plant foods daily.
The jaws were poorly developed, and the teeth with such a structure of teeth, the diplodocus could hardly chew food. It is most likely that the diplodocus plucked the leaves and shoots of ferns and stunted plants, while the diplodocus swallowed stones that helped them with digestion. Diplodocus could also feed on algae and at the same time swallow small mollusks.
Reproduction and growth of diplodocus:
Diplodocus are huge dinosaurs, but their eggs are about the size of a soccer ball. Cubs hatched tiny, but due to their size, adult diplodocus could not take care of their offspring. The herds were constantly moving in search of food. Diplodocus females laid many eggs in holes dug for this on the outskirts of forests and buried them. Then they were removed. This breeding method is typical for modern turtles.
After a certain time, tiny diplodocus hatched from the eggs and climbed to the surface. They were defenseless against predators and immediately became their victims. The key to their success was the number. After the newborn diplodocus hatched and got out of the ground, they rushed into the thicket of the forest, where they could hide from predators. In this they were helped by the dense vegetation of the Jurassic forests and protective coloration. Seeing a predator, they froze and became motionless and it was difficult to notice them. The surviving Diplodocus quickly gained weight, about a ton per year.
After reaching a certain size, diplodocus could no longer live in the forest, and they had to go out on the prairie full of dangerous predators. The most dangerous of these was the Allosaurus. Young diplodocus were a tasty morsel for a flock of allosaurs.
A young diplodocus attacked by an allosaurus has almost no chance of survival. It is still too small to trample the predator or drive it away with its tail. Teeth are ineffective in combat.
A rich feast awaits Allosaurus.
The main goal of young diplodocus was to find a herd of their relatives, which would protect them from predatory dinosaurs.
Upon reaching a certain size, the diplodocus had no enemies left. And they could devote themselves to eating succulent greenery and breeding. At the end of the Jurassic period, diplodocus was the dominant species among herbivorous dinosaurs.
Thanks to the numerous remains of diplodocus, this dinosaur species is considered one of the most studied in paleontology. And although the diplodocus was a herbivorous dinosaur, its gigantic size instills fear in scientists around the world to this day.
Dimensions and features
For many decades, the dinosaur diplodocus was considered the most studied species among all inhabitants of the late Jurassic period. Back in 1878, the first skeleton of this animal was found in Colorado, USA. Finding remains of such a huge size, scientists Samuel Williston and Benjamin Mange, began to record all the features of the structure of the skeleton. Until 1924, paleontologists were obsessed with studying such a large dinosaur. Diplodocus skeletons have been found all over the world, and thanks to the abundant knowledge gained from excavations, scientists have been able to identify several distinguishing features of the dinosaur.
First, the diplodocus dinosaurs were herbivores and absolutely peaceful animals, despite their gigantic size.
Secondly, despite the gigantic body weight, diplodocus did not differ with great intelligence, and many of them died due to the attack of smaller, but quick-witted dinosaurs.
Thirdly, the distribution of this species occurred in the late Jurassic period, which means that the diplodocus lived at the same time with many predatory dinosaurs.
Despite the fact that scientists have found skeletons of diplodocus all over the world, it was rather difficult to establish the exact size of individuals. Summarizing the experience of colleagues, David Gillette in 1991 concluded that the length of diplodocus could reach 54 meters. The average weight of an individual, according to Gillette, was 110-115 tons. Later, the scientific community refuted Gillette's theory, because in his calculations the paleontologist did not take into account the number of vertebrae and their size. Later, more accurate estimates of the size of the diplodocus were made. So, scientists found that the average length of an individual varied within 27 meters. Particularly large dinosaurs reached 35 meters in size. Consequently, the body weight of the diplodocus also decreased (it was approximately 10-20 tons).
Despite David Gillette's mistake, this dinosaur species continued to be one of the largest in the Late Jurassic period. Scientists are still arguing about which individual was considered the largest in the Late Jurassic period. Found parts of the supersaurus skeleton prove that it was larger in size than a diplodocus. However, for all the decades of their research, scientists have not been able to find the entire skeleton of a supersaurus, and therefore its gigantic size has not been precisely proven.
As noted above, the diplodocus was not a very smart animal, and this is directly evidenced by the small size of its cranium. However, due to the huge body surface, this dinosaur managed to successfully coexist with dangerous predators.
The main distinguishing feature of a diplodocus is its incredibly large tail. Scientists have proven that the tail of a diplodocus consisted of 80 vertebrae and was 10-15 meters long. Scientists believe that the diplodocus used its tail as a defense against large predators.
Habitat and diet of a dinosaur
For many decades, scientists believed that the diplodocus was an aquatic animal. Due to the special structure of the nostrils, scientists believed that individuals lived in the water, and only sometimes got out on land to search for food. This theory was challenged only in 1951, when Kenet Kermak proved that diplodocus could not breathe under water, because in this case, excessive pressure was exerted on their chest.
This theory was finally confirmed in 1970. At the same time, scientists confirmed that diplodocus moved in flocks, in groups of 10-15 individuals. Such a herd way of life helped the animals to defend themselves more effectively from predators. The fact that diplodocus lived in herds is evidenced by the numerous footprints left by animals.
The diplodocus themselves ate exclusively on the leaves of different trees. Its impressive size helped this animal survive even in the worst times, because unlike other herbivores, diplodocus could get leaves even from the tallest trees. Scientists believe that despite the long neck, diplodocus preferred to feed on the leaves from the lower branches, consuming the upper leaves only if there was no food elsewhere.
The small skull of a diplodocus discovered in 1921 proves that adults had a different diet than babies. The fact is that the structure of the skull, found in 1921, was very different from the structure of the skull of an adult, which directly indicated a different diet. However, due to the fragmentary information, scientists still do not know what the small individuals of diplodocus ate, and how this type of dinosaur laid eggs.
However, paleontologists have found that these huge animals evolved and grew very quickly. Thus, individuals of diplodocus reached sexual maturity by about ten years. The average life span of such a dinosaur was 40-50 years. However, due to the constant attacks of various predators, many individuals did not manage to live even to puberty.
Scientists are also inclined to conclude that the female diplodocus was somewhat larger in size, but this theory has not yet been proven. Despite the fact that scientists have found a decent number of skeletons of Diplodocus, this type of dinosaur is still poorly researched. Perhaps future excavations will help shed light on the exact origin of these individuals and the nuances of their lifestyle.
Why are diplodocus called slugs? The thing is that these animals practically did not know how to run because of the special structure of their limbs. They moved in stride, but due to the huge size of their paws, the herd moved rather quickly. And yet, diplodocus lost in speed and maneuverability to smaller predatory dinosaurs.
Scientists around the world continue to study diplodocus specimens to find out how these amazing animals lived and how they reproduced. Archaeological excavations have unearthed several complete skeletons of Diplodocus, but their lifestyle is still shrouded in mystery.
