Brontosaurus
Brontosaurus excelsus
Pronounced: Bron - toe -
Sore - us
Diet: Herbivore
(Plant-Eater)
Name Means: "Thunder
Lizard"
Length: 76 feet (23 m)
Height: 25 feet (8 m)
Weight: 33 tons (30,000
kilos)
Time: Late Jurassic - 155
MYA
Fossil remains for this Dinosaur have been
found in SW United States
Brontosaurus is one of the most well known
dinosaurs, but did it really exist? At this point,
scientists can't agree on whether Brontosaurus
actually existed, as the original type specimen was
actually a combination of two different dinosaurs -
an
Apatosaurus body and a
Camarasaurus head. Currently, Brontosaurus
is not a valid species, but that may change.
When it was discovered that the head of
Camarasaurus was placed on the body of
Apatosaurus and called Brontosaurus, most people
thought that was the end of this dinosaur that had become an
icon for dinosaur fans from the late 19th century through
the 1970s. That may not be the case, however, as Dr. Robert
Bakker is developing evidence that supports his claim that
Brontosaurus should still be recognized as a real dinosaur.
He asserts that it was a huge, long-necked plant eater that
deserved its name, which means Thunder Lizard. |
