Camarasaurus

† Camarasaurus ('chambered lizard') was a large macronarian sauropod dinosaur from the Late Jurassic Morrison Formation of the United States, and the most abundant large dinosaur from that formation. Reaching up to 18 m in length and weighing up to 47,000 kg, it was a robust herbivore with a relatively short, deep skull, large spatulate teeth for processing coarse vegetation, and hollow chambers in its vertebrae reducing skeletal weight. Multiple species are recognized from well-preserved material.

Diet & Feeding

Herbivore

Camarasaurus 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

Camarasaurus 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.