Brontosaur
|
Brontosaurus Temporal range: Late Jurassic, 155–151 Ma |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Holotype specimen of B. excelsus (YPM 1980), Peabody Museum of Natural History | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Clade: | Dinosauria |
| Order: | Saurischia |
| Suborder: | †Sauropodomorpha |
| Clade: | †Neosauropoda |
| Family: | †Diplodocidae |
| Subfamily: | †Apatosaurinae |
| Genus: |
†Brontosaurus Marsh, 1879 |
| Type species | |
|
†Brontosaurus excelsus Marsh, 1879 |
|
| Referred Species | |
|
|
| Synonyms | |
|
|
Brontosaurus (/ˌbrɒntəˈsɔːrəs/bron-tə-SAWR-əs), meaning "thunder lizard" (from Greek βροντή, brontē = thunder + σαῦρος, sauros = lizard), is a genus of gigantic sauropod dinosaurs. Although the type species, B. excelsus, had long been considered a species of the closely related Apatosaurus, more recent research has proposed that Brontosaurus is a genus separate from Apatosaurus that contains three species: B. excelsus, B. yahnahpin, and B. parvus.
Brontosaurus had long, thin necks and small heads, adapted for a herbivorous lifestyle; a bulky, heavy torso; and long, whip-like tails. They lived during the Late Jurassic epoch in the Morrison Formation of North America, going extinct by the end of the Jurassic. Adult individuals of Brontosaurus are estimated to weigh up to 15 tonnes (15 long tons; 17 short tons) and measure up to 22 metres (72 ft) long; this places Brontosaurus among the largest land animals along with other diplodocids.
As the archetypal sauropod, Brontosaurus is one of the best-known dinosaurs, and has been featured in film, advertising, and postal stamps, as well as many other types of media.
Brontosaurus was a large, long-necked quadrupedal animal with a long, whip-like tail, and forelimbs that were slightly shorter than their hindlimbs. The largest species, B. excelsus, weighed up to 15 tonnes (15 long tons; 17 short tons) and measured up to 22 m (72 ft) long from head to tail.
...
Wikipedia