Amphicoelias altus

†Amphicoelias altus was a diplodocoid sauropod from the Late Jurassic (~150 Ma) of Colorado, USA. Estimated at ~25m long, this massive long-necked herbivore was named by Cope in 1877 from the Morrison Formation. It is the valid type species of †Amphicoelias and a large but not extraordinary sauropod. The Morrison Formation has yielded extraordinary numbers of large sauropods from this period.

Diet & Feeding

Herbivore

Amphicoelias altus 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

Amphicoelias altus 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.