Apatosaurus vs Diplodocus

A detailed side-by-side comparison of Apatosaurus and Diplodocus, covering size, diet, classification, geologic period, and discovery history.

{# ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Side-by-side comparison table ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Side-by-Side Comparison

属性 Apatosaurus Diplodocus
学名 Apatosaurus ajax Diplodocus longus
分類 Sauropoda Sauropoda
時代 Jurassic Late Jurassic Late
食性 Herbivore Herbivore
全長 22.0 m 25.0 m
Height 4.5 m 5.0 m
体重 22.7 t 14.0 t
発見年 1877 1878
発見場所 Morrison Formation, Colorado, USA Canon City, Colorado, USA
命名者 Othniel Charles Marsh Othniel Charles Marsh
{# ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Visual size comparison ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Size Comparison

Apatosaurus 22.0 m

about as long as 4 cars end-to-end

Diplodocus 25.0 m

about as long as 5 cars end-to-end

Weight Comparison

Apatosaurus 22.7 t

about the weight of 3.8 elephants

Diplodocus 14.0 t

about the weight of 2.3 elephants

{# ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Timeline comparison ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Timeline Comparison

Apatosaurus
161.5 Mya Jurassic Late (Mesozoic) 145.0 Mya
Diplodocus
161.5 Mya Jurassic Late (Mesozoic) 145.0 Mya

Apatosaurus and Diplodocus both lived during the Jurassic Late period and may have shared the same habitats.

{# ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Diet comparison ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Diet Comparison

Apatosaurus

Herbivore

Apatosaurus was a plant-eater, feeding on vegetation like ferns, conifers, and cycads.

Diplodocus

Herbivore

Diplodocus was a plant-eater, feeding on vegetation like ferns, conifers, and cycads.

{# ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Classification comparison ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Classification Comparison

Apatosaurus

Clade: Sauropodomorpha

Group: Sauropoda

(Lizard feet)

Diplodocus

Clade: Sauropodomorpha

Group: Sauropoda

(Lizard feet)

Both dinosaurs share a common ancestor within the Sauropoda clade.

{# ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Key differences (from DinoComparison model) ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

主な相違点

  • Apatosaurus (22 m, ~22,700 kg) was shorter but significantly heavier than Diplodocus (25 m, ~14,000 kg).
  • Both lived in the Late Jurassic Morrison Formation and were likely contemporaries.
  • Apatosaurus had a more robust, barrel-like body; Diplodocus had a more slender, elongated build.
  • Apatosaurus was formerly (and incorrectly) synonymized with Brontosaurus — Brontosaurus is now considered a separate valid genus.
  • Both had long, whip-like tails that may have been used for defense or acoustic signaling.
{# ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Did You Know? fun facts ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Did You Know?

💡

Both Apatosaurus and Diplodocus were herbivores.

💡

Both dinosaurs lived during the Jurassic Late period and may have coexisted.

💡

Apatosaurus was discovered 1 years earlier, in 1877.

💡

Both belong to the Sauropoda clade, making them relatively close relatives.

{# ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Related comparisons ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Compare With Other Dinosaurs

{# ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Explore these dinosaurs ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Explore These Dinosaurs

Explore the Natural World

Discover more across the Nature FYI family