Diplodocus
Jurassic, 150 million years
Wyoming, USA
106 × 36 × 16.5 cm

Diplodocus belongs to the genus of diplodocid sauropod dinosaurs whose fossils were first discovered in the year 1878 in Bluff, Wyoming (USA) by the scientist S.W. Williston. The generic name derives from the Greek ‘double’, because of the double-beamed chevron bones found in the underside of its tail, which were then considered unique.

These huge vegetarian dinosaurs lived during the Late Jurassic period on the western plains of North America. Diplodocus had a long neck, which it used to reach high and low vegetation with its peg-like teeth, as well as to drink water. It also had a long whip-like tail of up to almost eighty caudal vertebrae. The fore limbs were slightly shorter than the hind limbs, so the posture of the body was almost horizontal and it looked similar to a suspension bridge. Diplodocus could be upto 88 1/2 ft (27 m) long, the neck being 19 3/4 ft (6 m) in length alone. For many years it was the longest dinosaur known. The skull was rather small in comparison to the body. Diplodocus skeletons are among the longest dinosaur skeletons ever found.

The Diplodocus bone presented here is in very good original condition and shows almost no restorations.