Apatosaurinae

†Apatosaurinae is a subfamily of diplodocid sauropods from the Late Jurassic of the Morrison Formation, United States. Including the iconic Apatosaurus and its relatives, these massive long-necked herbivores reached 21–23m in length and over 20,000kg. They possessed distinctive low-slung necks, elongated whip-like tails, and single large thumb claws, likely used in defence.

Diet & Feeding

Herbivore

Apatosaurinae 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

Apatosaurinae 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.