The brachiosaurus ( Brachiosaurus altithorax ) was a dinosaur that lived 150 million years ago during the middle or late Jurassic period. Fossils of this dinosaur have been found mainly in North America. In addition, this species did not resemble any of those that roamed the area, as its long neck made it look like a giraffe. Also, its front legs were much longer than its back legs.
It is possible that this animal was warm-blooded. Some studies suggest that the brachiosaurus and other sauropods (long-necked dinosaurs) were gigantotherms, that is, animals that maintained their body temperature thanks to their large size. In fact, the average temperature of these dinosaurs was 38 degrees.
Although there are doubts about its size, it is estimated that the brachiosaurus was around 25 meters long. However, it could be even larger than the fossils that have been found of this species were not complete. Also, according to a study published in the journal PLOS Biology, it could have weighed around 56,000 kilograms.
When this species was discovered in 1903, the brachiosaurus was declared the largest dinosaur in history. However, it is currently believed that other much larger and heavier sauropods existed.
How did the brachiosaurus feed?
This dinosaur had a wide snout and thick jaws that housed spoon-shaped teeth. In addition, their teeth were ideal for processing plants. This species probably fed on conifers and cycads. They also had to eat up to 400 kilograms of vegetables a day, as shown in a study published in the journal Proceeding of the Royal Society B.
Scientists believe that this species swallowed plants whole, as its teeth were not suitable for breaking up large chunks of vegetation. Additionally, brachiosaurs traveled in herds, moving after having depleted plants in a particular area.
Fossil finds
In 1900 the first brachiosaurus fossil appeared in Colorado. Elmer Riggs, the paleontologist who discovered this skeleton, named this new species Brachiosaurus.
Although Riggs was the first researcher to identify this species, in 1883 paleontologist Othniel Marsh discovered a brachiosaurus skull. However, he thought this skull belonged to a brontosaurus. In fact, it wasn’t until 1998 that scientists correctly identified it as a brachiosaurus.
