Brachiosaurus

Height :  7 m (23ft) (14 m (45ft) to top of the head)

Length: 24 m (80 ft)

Weight :  40 tonnes (44 tons)

Brachiosaurus was a vegetarian Sauropod that lived around 155 to 145 million years ago during the late Jurassic period. Brachiosaurus walked on all four limbs but its fore limbs were longer than its hind limbs, which is an unusual feature for a dinosaur. Brachiosaurus held its neck upright, rather than horizontally like most other sauropods, enabling it to browse even the tallest trees of the Jurassic. Brachiosaurus' feet were broad pads similar to a modern elephant. The first toe on the front feet had a claw as did the first three toes on the rear feet. Brachiosaurus' nostrils were on the top of its head, a feature that at first was thought to be because Brachiosaurus lived in deep water; which is now known not to be true. Brachiosaurus used 52 chisel like teeth to strip foliage from the tall trees. Brachiosaurus needed a very big strong heart to keep the elevated head and brain supplied with blood.

Brachiosaurus means "arm lizard" because of its long fore limbs. It was named by Elmer Riggs in 1903.  Incomplete fossils have been found in  North America, Africa and Europe.

  • Dinosauria (Dinosaurs)
    • Saurischia (Lizard Hipped)
      • Sauropods (quadrupedal herbivores)
        • Brachiosauridae (with fore limbs longer than hind limbs)
          • Brachiosaurus
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