As one of the longest known dinosaurs, Diplodocus is also one of the most recognizable. It follows the typical sauropod form of long neck and tail, with four sturdy legs. Its name means 'double beam' in reference to its double-beamed chevron bones from the tail. It is believed that they swallowed stones into a gizzard to help break down their food for digestion. Although classically illustrated with a vertical pose, it is now accepted that they kept their necks low and straight in balance with their tails.
Discovery
Diplodocus remains are amongst the most common dinosaur finds in the Morrison Formation, with several species first discovered from 1878 onwards.
Paleoecology
The locations of their fossil remains are in what was once a semi-arid environment with distinct wet and dry seasons. They lived alongside other large sauropods and large carnivores like Allosaurus and Ceratosaurus.
