Long at both ends
A long neck and exceptionally long tail made Diplodocus one of the most elongated familiar sauropods.
A REAL DINOSAUR. A SUSPICIOUSLY FAMILIAR PERSONALITY.
DIPLODOCUS.
Taking the scenic route.
You are in no particular rush to participate in everyone else's urgency. Life is long. Your lunch break could be longer. Somehow, you usually get there.
SIGNATURE MOVEMaking ‘we'll see’ sound like a complete plan.
SPECIMEN 10 / LATE JURASSIC
DIPLODOCUS CARNEGII · HERBIVORE
DIPLODOCUS CARNEGII · HERBIVOREFred Wierum · CC BY-SA 4.0 · via Wikimedia Commons
Meet the actual dinosaur THE ACTUAL SCIENCE STARTS HERE
Meet the real Diplodocus.
The jokes are ours.
The animal was very real.
- WHEN
- 154–152 million years ago
- ON THE MENU
- Herbivore
- LENGTH
- About 24–27 m
- BODY MASS
- Roughly 12–16 tonnes
Pencil-like teeth
Slender teeth clustered toward the front of the jaws rather than filling the whole mouth.
Rapid replacement
Dental studies indicate frequent replacement of worn teeth, useful for a plant-heavy diet.
The double beams
Its name refers to distinctive double-beamed chevron bones beneath parts of the tail.
Dippy went global
Casts of the Carnegie Museum skeleton were sent to museums around the world, making Diplodocus an international icon.
A small head
The skull was remarkably small relative to the long body and neck.
A little room for discovery.
Neck posture and the way the tail was used remain debated; dramatic sonic-boom tail claims are not settled facts.
Read more: Diplodocus on Wikipedia · Research and references. Facts are summarized in our own words. Size and date ranges are approximate; estimates vary by specimen and study. Gallery images may include other species within the genus.
A closer look.
Fossils, museum displays, and published reconstructions. Artwork shows an interpretation; it is not a photograph of a living dinosaur.
Is this your prehistoric alter ego?
Eight questions and an optional face scan will settle this. Very unofficially.