Miragaia longicollum

† Miragaia longicollum is a Late Jurassic stegosaurid from Portugal with an exceptionally elongated neck bearing at least 17 cervical vertebrae — the longest neck of any stegosaur. An herbivore roughly 5.5 m long.

Diet & Feeding

Herbivore

Miragaia longicollum 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

Miragaia longicollum 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.