Zoom Dinosaurs DINOSAUR QUESTIONS

Q: One of my students is researching Acanthopholis. We are having some difficultly finding information. If you have any information we would appreciate it. She is in Primary Multi-age (1-2).
Thank You!
G. Bourn, teacher
from g. b., laconia, nh, USA; Feb. 13, 1998

A: Acanthopholis (meaning "spiny scales") was an armored, quadrupedal (walked on four legs), plant-eating dinosaur from the early Cretaceous period. Its armor was rows of oval plates set into its skin, plus it had spikes jutting out of its neck and shoulder area along the spine. It was about 18 feet long (6 m). Partial fossils have been found in England.

Acanthopholis is an Ornithischian dinosaur (bird-hipped), an Ankylosaur (heavily-armored plant-eaters), and a Nodisaurid (primitive, smaller ankylosaurs with club-less tails).

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Q: What time period did Acanthopholis live in?
from ???; April 27, 1998

A: Acanthopholis, a small Ankylosaurid, lived during the Cretaceous period, about 115 to 91 million years ago.

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Q: where did the Albertosaurus live?
from phylecia, buena park, CA, USA; March 31, 1998

A: Albertosaurus means "lizard from Alberta." Its fossils have been found in Alberta, Canada and the western U.S.A. For an information sheet on Albertosaurus, click here.

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Q: Could you please help me with some information about the order and family life of the Albertosaurus, also what color was it too. Is there any information about whether or not is was cold or warm blooded?
from Kevin, Dallas, TX, USA; April 7, 1998

A: No one knows what color any of the dinosaurs were. Whether dinosaurs were warm- or cold- blooded is a topic under debate - for more info, click here. I haven't seen any information on Albertosaurus' family life.

Albertosaurus was a tyrannosaurid (large carnivores), closely related to, but smaller than Tyrannosaurus rex. It was a coelurosaur (the bipedal, bird-like carnivores that include tyrannosaurs, dromaeosaurs, ornithomimidae, compsognathidae, etc.), a theropod, or "Beast-Footed" dinosaur, and a saurischian (the lizard-hipped dinosaurs).

For an information sheet on Albertosaurus, click here.

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Q: Is the Albertosaurus a saurischian or an ornithischian? Is the Albertosaurus endothermic or ectothermic? What are some social traits on the Albertosaurus?
from Ashley, North English, Iowa, USA; March 17, 1998

A: Albertosaurus was a saurischian dinosaur (related to T. rex). Socially, I've never heard of the discovery of bonebeds or multiple trackways or nests of Albertosaurus, so there's no indication of herding or parental care. For more information on Albertosaurus, click here.

Whether any of the dinosaurs were endothermic or ectothermic is a matter up for debate.

• Hot-blooded animals (homeotherms) generate heat internally and maintain a relatively constant body temperature (higher than the average temperature of the environment). Examples include the mammals (including people) and birds. A related term is endothermy, meaning that an organism generates their own heat to maintain body temperatures.
• Cold-blooded animals (poikilotherms) have a body temperature that changes with external conditions. Examples include reptiles, who need to sun themselves in the morning to warm up, and then protect themselves in the midday heat. A related term is ectothermy, meaning that an organism uses external heat sources (and heat sinks) to regulate its body temperature.

The debate about whether dinosaurs were hot- or cold-blooded is quite controversial. It used to be assumed that dinosaurs were cold-blooded like their reptile ancestors. Some paleontologists have recently argued that at least some dinosaurs were fast, active, competed against hot-blooded mammals, lived in cool areas, were related to birds, and therefore were endothermic (generating their body own heat, or hot-blooded).

Dinosaurs evolved from cold-blooded animals (the reptiles) and evolved into warm-blooded animals (the birds). All dinosaurs, however, were not the same, and perhaps their physiologies differed also. The huge dinosaurs and the tiny dinosaurs might have used different heat-regulation strategies, just as they used different strategies for other aspect of living. A good argument for this is found among modern mammals. Although warm-blooded, there are some mammals (monotremes, the egg-laying mammals like the duck-billed platypus) whose metabolisms are close to being cold-blooded.

Basically, it's difficult or perhaps impossible to answer this question with today's knowledge. There are a lot of people thinking about this, and we'll be hearing a lot more about it. There's a good discussion of this topic at the UCMP museum of Paleontology.

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Q:there is very little information about the "Albertosaurus". I want to know everything you can tell me about this dinosaur. thanks alot
Kitty
from kitty d.d., sudbury, ontario, CA; November 24, 1997

A: Albertosaurus means "Alberta lizard." It was first unearthed by Joseph Burr Tyrrell, in western Canada in 1884. Albertosaurus was a Saurischian dinosaur that lived in the Cretaceous period; it was a bipedal carnivore (a theropod), smaller than T. rex. For more information and pictures, see my page on Albertosaurus and the page at the Royal Tyrrell Museum.

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Q: I am doing a report on the Allosaurus, How much did it weigh?How did it take care of its young?
from Glenn R., New Berlin, WI, USA; May 17, 1998

A: I don't have any good references to Allosaurus' weight. Although Allosaurus was the most abundant predator in late Jurassic North America and may have hunted in packs, I haven't seen evidence that they cared for their young (like fossilized nests). For more information on Allosaurus, click here.

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Q: 1.Is my dinosaur warm blooded or cold blooded? 2.Does the Allosaurus have any social? 3.What does Allosaurus mean? 4.Does it have any more information I can find? If so where can I find it?
from Lindsay, North English, Iowa, USA; March 17, 1998

A: 1. For information on warm- vs. cold-blooded dinosaurs, see the question below this one.
2. Allosaurus may have hunted in groups.
3. Allosaurus means "Different Lizard," because of its unusual vertebrae.
4. For an information sheet on Allosaurus, click here.

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Q: how big are the eggs of a Allosaurus
from ch, san angelo, texas, USA; September 29, 1998

A: I've never seen a reference to one.

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Q: How much did Amargasaurus weigh? How long was it?
from Donya Q., Marshall, VA, USA; October 6, 1998

A: Amargasaurus was about 33 feet (10 m) long. I have no reliable references to its weight which is very diffficult to estimate. For more information on Amargasaurus, click here.

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Q: I would like some information about Amargasaurus. Also, could I see a picture, if you have one. Thank You.
from Rocky M., San Antonio, Texas, USA; August 7, 1998

A: Amargasaurus (named from La Armaga, a canyon in Argentina where the fossil was found) was a sauropod from the early Cretaceous period (about 131-125 million years ago). This plant-eater was about 33 feet (10 m) long and had 2 rows of spines growing out along its backbone along its neck, body, and tail. These spines may have had a covering of skin forming a sail. If so, this sail might have been a thermoregulatory structure, used to absorb and release heat, for mating and dominance rituals, and/or for making it look much larger than it was to predators.. Otherwise, the spines may have been useful as protection. Amargasaurus was a quadruped (it walked on four legs), had a small head, a long neck and a very long tail.

As to classification, Amargasaurus was a (saurischian ("lizard hipped" dinosaurs, the ancestors of birds), a sauropodomorph (long-necked, long-tailed plant-eaters who walked on four legs), a sauropod (very large herbivores), and a member of the Family Diplodocidae (peg-toothed sauropods, which included Apatosaurus, Diplodocus, Seismosaurus, Supersaurus, and others). Q: My daughter, in second grade, has to do a report on a dinosaur called Anatosaurus. We are having trouble finding info on it. Help?
from Linda, Trenton, NJ, USA; April 20, 1998

A: Some paleontologists think that the dinosaur named Anatosaurus was simply a juvenile example of Edmontosaurus, a duck-billed dinosaur from the late Cretaceous period, living about 73-65 million years ago. For an information sheet on Edmontosaurus, click here.

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Q: Hi, My son is doing a report about the Anatosaurus. We were wondering if there is any information on weather it lived in a group or alone? And if there is any information on nesting habits? Did it take care of its babies? Please e-mail me back as soon as you can if you can find any of
from ??; May 15, 1998

A: Anatosaurus is an obsolete name for Edmontosaurus, a duck-billed dinosaur (a hadrosaur). For more information on Edmontosaurus, click here.

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Q:What is the length and the weight for Anatosaurus?
from Shana B., Coralville, IA, USA; Feb. 25, 1998

A: Anatosaurus is an obsolete name for Edmontosaurus, a duck-billed dinosaur. Anatosaurus (the "duck lizard") was a late-Cretaceous hadrosaur about 30 feet (9 m) long, 14 feet (4.3 m) tall, and about 3.5 tons.

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Q: I was wondering if you could give me some information on the Anchisauripus, in particular what it looked like. If there are any illustrations you know of, I would be very interested in seeing them. Thanks.
from Jeff C., Midland, Texas, USA; November 7, 1998

A: Anchisauripus is an ichnogenus of dinosaur, a theropod dinosaur only known from fossilized, bipedal, three-toed footprints (roughly 4 to 7 inches long) from Connecticut, USA during the late Triassic to early Jurassic period. What it looked like is unknown. It was named by Lull in 1904.

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Q: What is the difference between an Ankylosaurus and an Euoplocephalus?
from Miss E., Barrigada, GU, USA; December 7, 1998

A: They were pretty similar and very closely related armored dinosaurs. Ankylosaurus was bigger and lived later than Euoplocephalus. Ankylosaurus was the biggest and last of the ankylosaurinae.

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Q:Is ankylosaur same as ankylosaurus? Could you give me some details of the size of ankylosaur.
from Ming; Feb. 24, 1998

Q:Does ankylosaur goes on groups or individuals. What type of rock would ankylosaur be formed in?
from Drills; Feb. 24, 1998

Q:WHERE DOES THE ANKYLOSAURES LIVE?
from ???; Feb. 24, 1998

A: The ankylosaurs were a group of heavily armored, tank-like, plant-eating dinosaurs with tail clubs that included species like Ankylosaurus, Talarurus, Saichania, and Euoplocephalus. For an information sheet on Ankylosaurus, click here.

I can't find any evidence of herds of Ankylosaurus. Sedimentary rock is where most fossils form and are found. Ankylosaurus fossils have been found in the western US.

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Q: What era did the ankylosaurs live in?
from Max W.; August 27, 1998

A: Ankylosaurs, the heavily armored dinosaurs, lived during the Cretaceous period. For more information on Ankylosaurs, click here. They included Ankylosaurus, Euoplocephalus, Nodosaurus, and many others.

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Q: My question is about the ankylosaur.Where are it's fossils been found, and who discovered the ankylosaur?
from Michelle P., Ohio, USA; October 18, 1998

A: I don't know if you're referring to the first Ankylosaur discovered, which is Hylaeosaurus (fossils have been found in southeast England; it was named in 1833 by the British paleontologist Gideon A. Mantell) or Ankylosaurus (found in Montana, USA, and Alberta, Canada; it was first found by Barnum Brown in 1908). For more information on Ankylosaurus, click here; for more information on Hylaeosaurus, click here.

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Q: WHAT PROTECTION DID ANKYLOSAURUS HAVE FROM TYRANNOSAURUS' BITE?
DID THE BEAKED JAW OF PROTOCERATOPS HELP IT SNIP OFF THE TOPS OF LOW-GROWING PLANTS?
from JOSH C., THOMASVILLE, GA, USA; September 1, 1997

A:Ankylosaurus was a huge armored dinosaur, measuring about 25 feet long, 6 feet wide and 4 feet tall. Ankylosaurus weighed about 5 tons. Its entire top side was heavily protected from carnivores, with thick, oval plates embedded (fused) in leathery skin, 2 rows of spikes along its body, large horns that projected from the back of the head, and a club-like tail. It even had bony plates as protection for its eyes. Only its underbelly was unplated, but flipping over a 5 ton animal is difficult. Ankylosaurus had very good protection against even huge predators like T. rex.

Protoceratops was like Triceratops without the horns (see the picture at the top of this page). It was a Cretaceous herbivore, but it is not known exactly what it ate. It had a beak, like all Ceratopsians, and presumably used it to forage.

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Q:how did the ankylosarus dinosaur died
from ??; Sept. 24, 1997

A: Ankylosaurus went extinct in the huge K-T extinction at the end of the Cretaceous period (65 million years ago).

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Q: I'm doing a report on Apatosaurus' and I need to know if they are endotherms or ectotherms and why scientists believe this. Thank you, your page has helped a lot!
from Erica D., Tulsa, OK, USA; December 13, 1998

A: The enormous sauropods were probably ectothermic (relying on the environment to regulate their body temperature). Really huge animals can maintain an almost constant body temperature due to their mass and their small surface to volume ratio (they don't lose a lot of heat compared to a small animal). (Of course, this means that they also have trouble getting rid of excess heat.) Also, their ancestors (primitive reptiles) were ectotherms, so ectothermy would be their assumed state (and endothermy would have to be demonstrated, not the other way around). For more information on dinosaurs' heat regulation, click here.

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Q: Why did scientists change the name of the Brontosaurus to Apatosaurus?
from Mrs. Brandt's Kindergarten, Plattsmouth, NE, USA; April 20, 1998

A: The American paleontologist Othniel C. Marsh described and named Apatosaurus in 1877. A few years later, in 1879, he described and named another fossil, Brontosaurus. It turned out that the two dinosaurs were actually two species of the same genus. The earlier scientific name, Apatosaurus, was adopted. For an information sheet on Apatosaurus, click here.

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Q: How many bones does Apatosaurus have? How many Apatosaurus fossils have been found? Your info sheet is great!
from PJ H, Mentor, Ohio, USA; November 3, 1998

A: Thank you! I don't know how many bones an Apatosaurus had. I found references to at least 6 Apatosaurus skeletons that have been found (some are partial, even skull-less); there may be more.

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Q: My friend is doing a dinosaur report like me,but she need some information. Her dinosaur is the Apatosaurus and she needs to know what is its ancestor (or ancestors).
from Joy S., Cerritos, CA, USA; May 21, 1998

A: Apatosaurus was a diplodocid dinosaur, a Jurassic sauropod. The late Triassic and early Jurassic prosauropods (especially the melanosaurids as they were large herbivores with long necks) may have been the ancestors of the sauropods, but this is not known with any certainty. The melanosaurid prosauropods included Melanorosaurus, Riojasaurus, Blikanasaurus, etc. These prosauropods were the first quadrupedal dinosaurs that were adapted for browsing on tall vegetation.

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Q: What is the height of an Apatosaurus?
from ??; May 31, 1998

A: Apatosaurus was about 15 feet (4.6 m) tall at the hips. The height to the top of its head is not used because the dinosaur could assume may different stances. For more information on Apatosaurus, click here.

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Q: Hi, I'm sorry if I have caused any inconveniences previously, but I would like you to help me answer the following questions about Apatosaurus: To which group did Apatosaurus belong to?What was the climate like during the existence of the Apatosaurus?
from Shina T., Denver, CO, USA; March 9, 1998

A: Apatosaurus (which used to be known as Brontosaurus) was a huge herbivorous dinosaur. It was a saurischian ("lizard hipped" dinosaurs, the ancestors of birds), a sauropodomorph (long-necked, long-tailed plant-eaters who walked on four legs), a sauropod (very large herbivores), and a member of the Family Diplodocidae (peg-toothed sauropods, which included Diplodocus, Seismosaurus, Supersaurus, and others).

Apatosaurus lived during the late Jurassic Period, about 157-146 million years ago. This was a time when the Earth was very warm - there was no ice at the North and South poles, and even the winters were mild.

Click here for an information sheet on Apatosaurus.

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Q: how old could brontosaurus get?
from Heather B., West Seneca, NY, USA; May 14, 1998

A: Brontosaurus (now known as Apatosaurus) has been estimated to have lived to be about 100 years old.

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Q: What is the defense for Apatosaurus and Brachiosaurus dinosaur?
from Meredith, Waldorf, MD, USA; May 19, 1998

A: The large sauropods (like Apatosaurus and Brachiosaurus) best defense was size. In addition, their tails could whip away some attackers. Also, they had leathery skin, although this wasn't much of a defense against sharp theropod teeth. They also had some claws on their feet that were more pronounced in the young. For more information on Apatosaurus, click here. For more information on Brachiosaurus, click here.

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Q: To help a class of third graders, please tell me the real name of The Long Neck and tell us if it had two brains. Some of the students seem to think so. I told them I needed proof. Some of the students seem to think there was one in the head and one in the tail. Thank you for your help.
from Lynn M., Pierpoint, Ohio, USA; October 17, 1998

A: Apatosaurus is a popular long-necked dinosaur. It belongs to the group of plant-eating dinosaurs called sauropods. They had a long, whip-like tail, a small head, blunt teeth, short legs, and a big body.

It used to be thought that the sauropods (like Apatosaurus) had a second brain at the base of the tail. Paleontologists now realize that what they thought was a second brain was an enlargement in the spinal cord in the hip area, containing nerves and fatty tissue. This enlargement was larger than the animal's tiny brain and may have controlled the animal's hind legs and tail and. For more information on Apatosaurus, click here.

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Q:Will you give me some info about the apatosaurus and barosaurus.
from daniel, powder springs, GA, USA; Feb. 11, 1998

Q:Fossils of the same species were found on several different continents why ?
from ???; Feb. 11, 1998

A: Click here for an information page on Apatosaurus. Barosaurus (meaning "heavy lizard") was another huge, long-necked, Jurassic sauropod. It was about 90 feet long (27 m). Its neck was about 30 feet long (9 m)!

Barosaurus fossils have been found in North America and in Africa. During the Jurassic period, the Earth's land masses were joined connected into the supercontinent Pangaea , allowing Barosaurus (and other species) to travel by land between what is now Africa and North America.

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Q: I had assumed we held the record for the biggest plant-eater in the world in in Argentina, as well as the meat-eater: Giganotosaurus. But I've read there's another dino that seems to be, at least, longer: the Supersaurus. Which one is the winner of "The biggest one" award?
from Sandra L., Cutral-Có, Neuquén, Argentina; October 11, 1998

A: Argentinosaurus huinculensis was certainly a huge sauropod and may well be the biggest dinosaur, but it is only known from some vertebrae and leg bones. Supersaurus, another enormous sauropod, is only known from an enormous shoulder bone. I don't think that a truly accurate estimate of either one's size is possible until more fossils are found. When people ask me which one is biggest is give them a list of a few of the largest sauropods, but this tally is changing all the time as new discoveries are made.

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Q: Could you tell me about Astrodon's leg bone?
from Alyson P., Baltimore, Maryland, USA; December 8, 1998

A: Astrodon is only known from its teeth, no leg bones have been found. These fossilized teeth show that it was a sauropod, a quadrupedal, plant-eating dinosaur from the early Cretaceous period. Sauropods had elephant-like legs and each foot had 5 toes set in a fleshy pad. For more information on Astrodon, see the Dinosaur Dictionary.

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Q: WHAT family OF DINOSAURS is Aublysodon from
from Sean O., Cuyahhoga Falls, Ohio, USA; December 5, 1998

A: Aublysodon was a theropod, and may have been a tyrannosaurid (very little is known about it since all that has been found is teeth and skull fragments).

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Q: What is a Bactrosaurus and what does it look like?
from Trisha B., Phillipsburg, NJ, USA; March 16, 1998

A: Bactrosaurus was a flat-headed, duck-billed dinosaur (a lambeosaurine hadrosaur) with no crest. It was an herbivore from the late Cretaceous period. It walked on two legs and was about 13-20 feet (4-6 m) long. Like other duck-bills, its beak had no teeth in front, but many cheek teeth for chewing plant fiber. It probably looked a lot like Lambeosaurus, but was smaller and had no crest.

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Q: Are there any dinosaurs called Barapasaurus and how huge it is?
from Sabah, Malaysia; November 28, 1998

A: Yes, I've added Barapasaurus, an Indian sauropod, to the Dinosaur Dictionary.

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Q: What kind of behavior did Barosaurus have?
from Lauren H., Brick, NJ, USA; September 12, 1998

A: Barosaurus was a diplodocid sauropod (a long-necked, long-tailed, small-headed, short-legged giant). It was an herbivore, a plant-eater. It was huge, perhaps over 60 feet (20 m) long, and was slow-moving. Its primary defense against predators was its size. Not much else is known about its behavior. Barosaurus lived during the late Jurassic period, about 156 to 145 million years ago. Its fossils have been found in western North America and East Africa. It was named by Othniel C. Marsh in 1890.

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Q: I'm doing a dinosaur project for science and I need to know the behavior of Baryonyx?
from Lee M., Greeley, Colorado, USA; December 2, 1998

A: For information on Baryonyx, click here.

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Q: Hi! I am doing a paleontology report for science. I need to know what animal living today comes from the Brachiosaurus? Also what was the name of the new dinosaur that was found in Africa? Thanks!
from Mike B., Sparta, NJ, USA; December 6, 1998

A: Brachiosaurus, like the other sauropods, was an evolutionary dead end. The birds evolved from the theropods.

The new African dinosaur is Suchomimus; for more information on it, click here.

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Q: How many toes did the Brachiosaurus have on each foot?
from Rocko K., Harlem, New York, USA; November 30, 1998

A: Brachiosaurus (like all sauropods) had 5 toes on each of its four feet.

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Q: Who were the Brachiosaurus' enemies? And where did the Brachiosaurus live?
from Spencer L., Albany, NY, USA; November 30, 1998

A: Brachiosaurus was so large that its main enemies were probably bacteria and viruses. Not much else could have killed an adult Brachiosaurus. Brachiosaurus fossils have been found in what is now western Colorado, USA and Tanzania, Africa. For more information on Brachiosaurus, click here.

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Q: How long did the Brachiosaurus live?
from John H., Stillwater, Minnesota, USA; November 23, 1998

A: The genus Brachiosaurus lived for about 11 million years, from 156 to 145 million years ago. An individual Brachiosaurus may have lived for roughly 100 years. For more information on Brachiosaurus, click here.

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Q: Did brachiosaurus's travel in herds?
from Deona F., Levittown, PA, USA; November 12, 1998

A: Brachiosaurus probably travelled in herds and may have migrated when they deleted their local food supply.

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Q: What stuff did the Brachiousaurus eat? And is it true that the Brachiousaurus is the heaviest dinosaur ever found?
from Chris C., Portland, Maine, USA; December 2, 1998

A: Brachiosaurus ate leaves, probably mostly from tree-tops. Heavier dinosaurs have been found, like Argentinosaurus. For more information on Brachiosaurus, click here.

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Q: How did the Brachiosaurus die?
from Shannon B., National Park, New Jersey, USA; November 2, 1998

A: Brachiosaurus went extinct near the end of the Jurassic period, about 145 million years ago. Although there were a couple of minor mass extinctions during the Jurassic (at 190 and 160 and million years ago), Brachiosaurus' extinction wasn't during one of those dramatic times. Instead, it went extinct like most plants and animals do (perhaps up to 95 per cent of all extinctions) - in a background extinction. Background extinctions are not caused by major catastrophes or horrendous climactic changes, but by small changes in climate or habitat, depleted resources, competition, and other changes that require adaptation and flexibility. These background extinctions occur throughout time.

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Q: Which Dinosaur's name means "Thunder Lizard".
from Jessika R., Saugus, CA, USA; November 25, 1998

A: Brontosaurus, which is the old name for Apatosaurus.

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Q: Why (and when) was the brontosaurus' name changed to Apatasaurus?
from D. Baer, Franklin, WI, USA; November 13, 1998

A: The American paleontologist Othniel C. Marsh described and named Apatosaurus in 1877. A few years later, in 1879, he described and named another fossil, Brontosaurus. It turned out that the two dinosaurs were actually two species of the same genus. The earlier scientific name, Apatosaurus, was adopted and Brontosaurus was dropped. Many people still use the term Brontosuaurs, but scientists don't.

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Q: I would like to know information about how Brachiosaurus layed and hatched eggs and what their nesting spot looked like. Thank you.
from Michelle, Toronto, Ontario, CA; April 6, 1998

A: The sauropods (the large, long-necked plant-eaters from the Jurassic period, like Brachiosaurs, Apatosaurus, etc.) laid their eggs in a linear pattern on the ground and not in nests. Presumably the eggs were laid as the animal was walking. It is thought that sauropods did not take care of their eggs. For more information on Brachiosaurus, click here.

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Q: This question is about the Brachiosaurus,see I'm doing this question sheet on the Brachiosaurus and there was one question I could not answer .I've looked EVERYWHERE for the answer your my last hope okay.... Who is Jim Jensen ,and why is he famous? PLEASE ANSWER AS FAST AS POSSIBLE MY GRATITUDE GOES OUT TO YOU!
from Kandus, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; April 29, 1998

A: James A. Jensen is an American paleontologist who discovered the huge Jurassic sauropods (long-necked plant-eaters) Supersaurus (in 1972) and "Ultrasauros" (in 1979). He found them in western Colorado.

Brachiosaurus was first found in the Grand River Valley, also in western Colorado, USA, in 1900. This incomplete skeleton was described by paleontologist Elmer S. Riggs, who named Brachiosaurus in 1903. The only connection between Jim Jensen and Brachiosaurus that I know of is that his "Ultrasauros," only known from a few bones, may actually be an extremely large Brachiosaurus or Supersaurus. For more information on Brachiosaurus, click here. For more information on Supersaurus, click here. For more information on Ultrasauros, click here.

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Q: what is the weight of Brachiosaurus
from Matt K., Adelaide, Australia; May 27, 1998

A: Brachiosaurus weighed about 80 tons. For more information on Brachiosaurus, click here.

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Q: What is the first known discovery of Brachiosaurus fossil remains (where, when, by whom)?
from Kim, Kutztown, PA, USA; October 18, 1998

A: Brachiosaurus was first found in the Grand River Valley, in western Colorado, USA, in 1900. This incomplete skeleton was described by paleontologist Elmer S. Riggs, who named Brachiosaurus in 1903. For more information on Brachiosaurus, click here.

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Q: How did the Brachiosaurus defend itself?
from Jen D., NJ, USA; October 19, 1998

A: The large sauropods' (like Apatosaurus and Brachiosaurus) best defense was size. In addition, their tails could whip away some attackers. Also, they had leathery skin, although this wasn't much of a defense against sharp theropod teeth. They also had clawed feet that were more pronounced in the young. For more information on Brachiosaurus, click here.

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Q:Did Brachiosauruses walk with their heads up or down?
from Brittany and Bailey, Coralville, IA, USA; Feb. 22, 1998

A: Brachiosaurus had a giraffe-like stance, with its head held upright.

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Q: When did the Brachiosaurus become extinct
from Jordan L., Leola, PA, USA; April 24, 1998

A: Brachiosaurus appeared during the middle of the Jurassic period, about 156 million years ago, and went extinct about 145 million years ago, at the end of the Jurassic period. Some dating estimates have Brachiosaurus surviving until 140 million years ago, the beginning of the Cretaceous period. For more information on Brachiosaurus, click here.

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Q: Is there any evidence that the Brachiosaurus could be a warm or cold blooded animal?
from Becky, Boston, MA, USA; April 7, 1998

A: There are many arguments about this topic - click here for more info. Also, there's a good site at the U. C. Museum of Paleontology covering this topic

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Q: Why is Brachiosaurus called "Arm Lizard"?
from Miranda A., Stoneham, MA, USA; May 18, 1998

A: It is called the "Arm lizard" because it's front legs (arms) are longer than its rear legs. This is very unusual among dinosaurs; the Brachiosaurids (which includes Brachiosaurus, Astrodon, Dinodocus, and others) are the only group of dinosaurs built like this. For more information on Brachiosaurus, click here.

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Q: What Family does the Brachiosaurus belong to? I need the answer urgently for a school project!
from Shani.M, Sydney, N.S.W., Australia; September 7, 1998

A: Brachiosaurus was a late-Jurassic Saurischian dinosaur (the order of lizard-hipped dinosaurs). It was a sauropodomorph (the large, plant eating dinosaurs). It was a member of the Brachiosaurids (the family of enormous, long-necked herbivores), and was in the subfamily Brachiosaurinae (the largest land animals which included Brachiosaurus, Ultrasauros, Seismosaurus, and more).

For more information on Brachiosaurus, click here.

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Q: Q.If you could answer these two questions I would be very greatful.My first question is what did the Brachiosaurus use for defense and my second question is what did the Brachiosaurus use for offense.
from Caitlin I., Round Rock, TX, USA; September 7, 1998

A: Brachiosaurus was huge dinosuar, about 85 feet long (26 m), 40 feet tall, and weighed 70-80 tons. Its bulk was its main defense - it is very hard to successfully attack a giant animal. Also, Brachiosaurus was a plant-eater and probably had no more need for offense than elephants do. For more information on Brachiosaurus, click here.

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Q: I am doing a report, and I need a bit more information about the Brachiosaurus. What benefits has it provided for its environment? Why did the Brachiosaurus become extinct? What animal today comes from the Brchiosaurus? Thank You!
from Stephan W., Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA; December 5, 1998

A: Brachiosaurus (and every other organism) affected its environment in many ways, helping some organisms and hurting others (mostly plants and competing herbivores who could have eaten those plants). Good or bad effects to the environment are relative; any change benefits some organisms and hurts others. Brachiosaurus changed its environment a lot since it was so large. It consumed (leaves and water) and produced (dung and its carcass when it died) a huge amount. Brachiosaurus benefited plants and animals that could use its dung, plants that benefited from clearcuts which Brachiosaurus must have made in forests.

A long-term evolutionary effect of Brachiosaurus' existence may have been to select for taller trees.

Brachiosaurus went extinct during the late Jurassic period, about 145 million years ago in the most common type of extinction, a background extinction. Brachiosaurus (and the other sauropods) were a biological dead end. For more information on Brachiosaurus, click here.

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Q:Hi, I have been trying to find out some information for my son on dinosaurs. He needs it for a 2nd grade science project. They had to pick their favorite dino and he picked "Brachiosaur". I have been looking on the internet most of the day and I haven't come up with anything that will really help him.

He has to write a report on his dinosaur giving the basic info on it. Would it be possible for you to direct me somewhere specific where I can find this out? Including pictures Thank You Sandy
from Sandy, Leonardo, New Jersey, USA; Jan. 28, 1998

A: I have an information sheet on BRACHIOSAURUS; just click on its name to see an information page on it. Brachiosaurus was a huge Sauropod from the Jurassic period. It was among the largest dinosaurs, measuring about 40 feet tall and 85 feet long. It had a long neck, a small head with blunt teeth, and a long tail for counterbalancing its great weight (about 70-80 tons). It walked on four legs, and the front two legs were longer than the back (this is a unlike most Sauropods).

Brachiosaurus ate plants, probably leaves from the tree tops. Fossils have been found in the western US, Europe, and Africa.

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Q:I am in second grade and I am doing a dinosaur project on the Brachiosaurus. I was wondering if you could tell me where the Brachiosaurus laid its eggs and if the Brachiosaurus cared for its young.
from Jillian R., Stoneham, MA, USA; Feb. 18, 1998

A: Eggs that definitely belonged to Brachiosaurus haven't been found, but it is assumed that the sauropods layed eggs (the paleontologist Bakker disagrees and argues that sauropods gave birth to live young). Where Brachiosaurus layed its eggs or if it cared for young are unknown. Sauropod trackways (fossilized sets of tracks) have been found, indicating that the young sauropods travelled toward the center of herds, probably for protection. Whether this is true for Brachiosaurus is not known.

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Q: I am wondering how big the Brachiosaurus young were when they are born?
How heavy were the eggs?
How long did they take to hatch?
How long did they need to be looked after by their parents?
I am doing a project at school on the brachiosaurus and would like to know these things. Could you help me please.
from Felicity, Western Australia; September 9, 1997

A: Brachiosaurus was an enormous herding sauropod, growing to be about 85 feet (26 m) long, 40 feet (12 m) tall and weighing about 80 tons.

Although lots of fossilized dinosaur eggs have been found, the species that most of them belong to has not been determined. The only way to tell exactly what species a dinosaur egg belongs to is to identify the embryo within it. Most fossilized eggs have only eggshell remaining with no embryo, since the shell fossilizes much more easily than the soft, fragile embryo (which usually rots before it can fossilize), the eggs may have hatched, or the embryo may have been eaten.

I haven't heard of any Brachiosaurus eggs or newborns being found. Also, no one knows how long any dinosaur eggs took to hatch or how long or if the young were cared for by Brachiosaurus.

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Q: I need info. on brontosaurus, I can't find any info. can you help me?
from Katie E., Lakewood, Colorado, USA; December 3, 1998

A: The new and improved name of Brontosaurus is Apatosaurus. For information on Apatosaurus, click here.

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Q: What was the most babies a Brontosaurus could have?
from Michael, Mortdale, NSW, Australia; November 9, 1998

A: No one knows. Q: why did brontosaurus have a long neck?
from Heather, Concrete, WA, USA; September 16, 1997

A:Brontosaurus (now known as Apatosaurus) probably developed a long neck over time as the longer-necked animals could eat more of the available vegetation, like tree tops, and were more likely to survive and reproduce. Like giraffes who graze higher than other animals, they were able to utilize an abundant food source untouched by most other herbivores.

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Q: How big is a Brontosaurus molar?
from a mystery person; August 12, 1997

A:Although the Apatosaurus (also called Brontosaurus) was huge, about 70-95 feet long (21 m) and weighing about 30 tons (27,000 kg), its head was less than 2 feet long. It had small, blunt, peg-like teeth in its relatively small skull. I can't find an exact measurement for Apatosaurus, but Diplodocus (related to Apatosaurus) teeth were about 8 inches (20cm) long (including the root which is half of the length) and less than 1 inch (2 cm) in diameter.

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Q:How does the brontosaurus defend its self?
from Marc C., Rizal, Phillipines; Jan. 13, 1998

A: The Brontosaurus (now known as the Apatosaurus) had virtually no defenses except its huge size. It may have used its tail to repel enemies.

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