Brontosaurus excelsus

† Brontosaurus excelsus was a Late Jurassic diplodocid sauropod from the Morrison Formation of Wyoming, the type species of the reinstated genus Brontosaurus. This large herbivore, approximately 22 m long, was originally named by Othniel Charles Marsh in 1879 and became culturally iconic before being synonymized with Apatosaurus in 1903. Its reinstatement in 2015 reignited interest in sauropod systematics.

Diet & Feeding

Herbivore

Brontosaurus excelsus was a plant-eating dinosaur. Herbivores typically fed on ferns, cycads, conifers, and other vegetation available during their era. Many herbivorous dinosaurs developed specialized teeth and digestive systems for processing tough plant material.

Time Period

Jurassic Late Mesozoic Era

Brontosaurus excelsus lived during the Jurassic Late period of the Mesozoic Era, approximately 161.5 to 145.0 million years ago.

One of the most iconic periods for dinosaurs. Giant sauropods like Brachiosaurus and Diplodocus roamed alongside predators like Allosaurus. Archaeopteryx, the earliest known bird, appeared. The Morrison Formation preserves an extraordinary fossil record from this time.