The Brachiosaurus is a type of dinosaur known as a Sauropod, they are famous for reaching incredible sizes. Other members of the Sauropod family include the Diplodocus and Apatosaurus.
The name Brachiosaurus comes from Greek words meaning ‘arm’ and ‘lizard’. The name refers to the interesting nature of Brachiosaurus legs which were longer at the front than the back.
Brachiosaurus lived in North America.
The first fossils were found in the Colorado River of the United States of America in 1900. Elmer Riggs first described the giant dinosaur in 1903, calling it “the largest known dinosaur”.
The Brachiosaurus had a long neck, a small head and a relatively short tail compared to other Sauropods.
The Brachiosaurus walked on all four legs.
The weight of Brachiosaurus has been estimated between 30 and 45 metric tons.
The length of Brachiosaurus is believed to have been around 26 metres (85 feet).
The Brachiosaurus was a herbivore (plant eater), that feed on foliage high above the ground.
It is estimated that Brachiosaurus ate between 200 and 400 kilograms (440 and 880 pounds) of plants every day!
It wasn’t until 1994 that the original Brachiosaurus fossils found by Elmer Riggs were shown in a museum.
An asteroid found in the main asteroid belt of the Solar System was named after the Brachiosaurus.
Brachiosaurus featured in the movie adaptation of Michael Crichton’s well known book, Jurassic Park.
Brachiosaurus pictures:
