Apatosaurus

views updated

Apatosaurus (order Saurischia, suborder Sauropoda) One of several gigantic dinosaurs recorded from the Upper Jurassic, Apatosaurus was a quadruped with a long neck whose total weight reached 30 tonnes. The name Apatosaurus, meaning ‘deceptive lizard’ (derived from the Greek apate meaning ‘deceit’ and saura meaning ‘lizard’), is a senior synonym of Brontosaurus. Animals of 22 m in length have been recorded from the Morrison Formation of N. America.

More From encyclopedia.com