DIPLODOCUS

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(Double beam)
FAMILY: Diplodocidae.
ERA: Late Jurassic ( Kimmeridgian 154.1 - 150.7 Ma ).
SIZE: Length 27 m (88 ft). Weight 10-11 tonnes.
LOCATION: North America.
FOSSILS: D. longus; 2 skulls, series of caudal vertebra e.

	D. carnegii; 5 skeletons, 2 skulls, postcrani al elements.
	D. hayi; Partial skeleton with braincase .
	D. lacustris; Jaw with teeth.

COMMENTS: One of the longest land animals ever known, although now outranked by giants such as Seismosaurus, Argentinosaurus and others, Diplodocus gets its name from the middle tail bones which had fore and aft bony skids that protected the blood vessels if its tail dragged on the ground. A new 1990 find of skeleton and skin impressions indicated that it (and possibly other sauropod s also) had a row of spines down its back.
SPECIES LIST:
D. longus Marsh, 1878 (type) .
D. carnegii Hatcher, 1901 including D. reedi Breithaupt, 1990.
D. hayi Holland, 1924.
D. lacustris Marsh, 1884. Some consider this a nomen dubium .

References
@s7 @na @v @j @lj @kim @us @sn @spod @dip