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| Sauropods Poster |
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A312 Sauropods
Sauropoda are a clade of saurischian (“lizardhipped”)
dinosaurs. Sauropods were herbivorous
(plant-eating), long-necked, and quadruped (fourlegged).
They first appear in the fossil record during
the late Triassic, around 230 million years ago. They
include the largest animals to have ever lived on
land. Along with all other dinosaurs (except for birds),
they became extinct 65 million years ago.
This poster shows all the largest species. Some
were close to 200 feet long - the length of four school
buses. Also shown are some of the more unique
species. Camarasaurus vertebrae were hollowed out
or riddled with passages and cavities, which inspired
its name, “Chambered Lizard.” Mamenchisaurus had
a 31-foot-long neck that comprised half of the body
length of the animal. For size comparison, the neck
of a giraffe is shown next to it in the same scale.
The unique body structure of these fascinating
animals is explored. Could they rear upright like a
horse? Other interesting topics are intelligence, teeth
and diet, eggs, skin texture, and social behavior.
Created with the help and cooperation of the
American Museum of Natural History.
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