Illustration of Diplodocus dinosaur

Diplodocus

Meet Diplodocus

  • Diplodocus had a very long tail that is thought to have been used like a whip to ward off predators.

  • Although its neck likely could not have been held very high, it seems this dinosaur could actually tip back onto its back legs, using its tail as a tripod to eat from taller branches. 

  • Instead of teeth for chewing, Diplodocus had a row of rake-like teeth that it used to pull off leaves and swallow them whole.

  • Like some modern birds, Diplodocus swallowed stones to help break down the food in its stomach. These stones are known as gastroliths.

  • Diplodocus lived alongside Allosaurus and Stegosaurus.

Home Team: Found in Dinosaurs & Fossils Gallery

Size: Over 100 feet long, weighing as much as 15 tons

Era: Jurassic Period, about 150 million years ago