Diplodocus longus

†Diplodocus longus is the type species of Diplodocus, a large sauropod from the Morrison Formation of Colorado and Wyoming. First described by Marsh in 1878, this ~27 m herbivore's peg-like teeth and elongated neck suited low browsing on ferns and cycads. Its distinctive double-beamed chevron bones gave the genus its name ('double beam').

Diet & Feeding

Herbivore

Diplodocus longus 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

Diplodocus longus 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.