Camarasaurus

Camarasaurus was the most abundant sauropod of Late Jurassic North America, represented by dozens of specimens ranging from juveniles to colossal adults. Unlike the long-snouted, peg-toothed diplodocids that shared its environment, Camarasaurus possessed a boxy, blunt skull equipped with robust, chisel-shaped teeth. These sturdy teeth allowed it to crop tougher, more fibrous vegetation, avoiding direct feeding competition with other local sauropods. Its vertebrae contained prominent hollow chambers, which inspired its scientific name. With a stocky build, moderately long neck, and deep ribcage, Camarasaurus ranged from fifteen to twenty-three metres in length, depending on the species. Its fossils have been unearthed across Utah, Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico, making it a cornerstone of Morrison Formation palaeoecology and one of the best-understood sauropods in the fossil record.

It is the most common and completely preserved sauropod found in the Morrison Formation.

Where and when

Camarasaurus lived in the Late Jurassic, from 155 to 145 million years ago (Kimmeridgian-Tithonian age). Its remains come from United States, in the Morrison Formation.

The numbers

Length 19 m (estimates run from 15 to 23 m). Mass about 29 t. Hip height about 4.5 m. That is 11.2 human-lengths, or 1.7 of a double-decker bus. These are estimates from near-complete skeleton; fields marked estimated by the site are length, mass, hip height.

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