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Sauropod Dinosaurs
The Sauropoda (meaning "lizard-footed") dinosaurs
were a infraorder of the the
Saurischian.
Together with the infraorder
Prosauropods,
they form the Sauropodomorpha) suborder of
Saurischia.
Dinosaurs in the Sauropod infrarder include, among others,
Apatosaurus
(also known as "Brontosaurus"),
Brachiosaurus, and
Diplodocus.
Sauropods first appeared during the later part of
Triassic period,
and at that time resembled their sister infraorder, the
Prosauropods.
By the late
Jurassic period,
Sauropods had become extremely widespread, and they survived until
the end of the
Cretaceous period,
about 65 million years ago.
Of course during all this time, no single species survived - instead a succession
of different Sauropod lineages appeared at different times.
At the end of
Cretaceous,
the Sauropods finally became
extinct,
along with all the other non-avian dinosaurs.
Sauropod dinosaurs were herbivorous (plant-eating). They were quadrupedal
(walking on four legs), and they had thick pillar-like legs with five
toes, although only three toes had claws.
They had
long necks and small heads and usually had long tails..
Additionally, some Sauropods had armor such
bony osteoderms
(found for example in
Ampelosaurus
and
Saltasaurus),
clubs in their tails
(for example in Shunosaurus),
or spined-backs (for example in Augustinia).
Sauropods are of course well-known for being large animals.
Even the smallest dwarf species of Sauropod were 20 feet (6 meters) long,
and the largest Sauropods were at least 130 feet (40 meters) long.
There is evidence that there may have been some species that
grew to 180 to 200 feet (55 to 60 meters)
in length.
Why Sauropod evolved to become so large remains a matter of debate.
Clearly there was some evolutionary advantage to being such huge
sizes, but we can not entirely sure what it is.
Some hypotheses that have been proposed include
the relative immunity from predators that large size conveys,
longer life spans,
greater energy efficiency,
or simply the fact that large-size allows
herbivores to digest food more effectively.
There is a good evidence (for example
fossilized
trackways) that many species of Sauropods lived in herds. It is thought
that many herds were separated by age, as juvenile animals appear to
have eaten a different
diet from adults.
Sauropods first appeared during the early Jurassic period, and survived until the end of the Cretaceous period, about 65 million years ago
Types of Sauropod Dinosaur
Here is a list of some Sauropod dinosaurs:
Related Information & Resources
See Also
Sauropod Books
Here are some books from Amazon.com:
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University of California Press
Hardcover (358 pages)
 | List Price: $70.00*
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Click Here | Product Description:
Sauropod dinosaurs were the largest animals ever to walk the earth, and they represent a substantial portion of vertebrate biomass and biodiversity during the Mesozoic Era. The story of sauropod evolution is told in an extensive fossil record of skeletons and footprints that span the globe and 150 million years of earth history. This generously illustrated volume is the first comprehensive scientific summary of sauropod evolution and paleobiology. The contributors explore sauropod anatomy, detail its variations, and question the myth that life at large size led to evolutionary stagnation and eventual replacement by more "advanced" herbivorous dinosaurs. Chapters address topics such as the evolutionary history and diversity of sauropods; methods for creating three-dimensional reconstructions of their skeletons; questions of sauropod herbivory, tracks, gigantism, locomotion, reproduction, growth rates, and more. This book, together with the recent surge in sauropod discoveries around the world and taxonomic revisions of fragmentary genera, will shed new light on "nature's greatest extravagances." |
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By Thom Holmes
Enslow Publishers
Library Binding (128 pages; 1)
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Books LLC
Paperback (284 pages)
 | List Price: $14.14*
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Purchase includes free access to book updates online and a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Chapters: Sauropoda, Camarasaurus, Mamenchisaurus, Anchisaurus, Ammosaurus, Haplocanthosaurus, Xenoposeidon, Europasaurus, Cetiosaurus, Zigongosaurus, Antetonitrus, Neosodon, Aepisaurus, Eucamerotus, Diamantinasaurus, Chiayusaurus, Oplosaurus, Abrosaurus, Wintonotitan, Ischyrosaurus, Cardiodon, Agustinia, Omeisaurus, Ultrasaurus, Jobaria, Barapasaurus, Rhoetosaurus, Turiasauria, Astrodon, Datousaurus, Galveosaurus, Morinosaurus, Lourinhasaurus, Shunosaurus, Euhelopus, Melanorosaurus, Ornithopsis, Algoasaurus, Losillasaurus, Macronaria, Tehuelchesaurus, Arkharavia, Chondrosteosaurus, Turiasaurus, Tazoudasaurus, Pakisaurus, Isanosaurus, Tendaguria, Patagosaurus, Hudiesaurus, Venenosaurus, Nurosaurus, Kotasaurus, Borealosaurus, Aragosaurus, Spinophorosaurus, Dashanpusaurus, Bellusaurus, Brohisaurus, Otogosaurus, Vulcanodon, Euhelopodidae, Neosauropoda, Chinshakiangosaurus, Melanorosauridae, Thotobolosaurus, Mamenchisauridae, Zizhongosaurus, Gigantosaurus, Dyslocosaurus, Chebsaurus, Anchisauridae, Amygdalodon, Vulcanodontidae, Yuanmousaurus, Baotianmansaurus, Rutellum, Klamelisaurus, Chuanjiesaurus, Tastavinsaurus, Ruyangosaurus, Qinlingosaurus, Ohmdenosaurus, Eomamenchisaurus, Camelotia, Pukyongosaurus, Archaeodontosaurus, Mongolosaurus, Xianshanosaurus, Protognathosaurus, Blikanasaurus, Blikanasauridae, Gongxianosaurus, Jiutaisaurus, Asiatosaurus, Clasmodosaurus, Ferganasaurus, Tienshanosaurus, Kunmingosaurus, Campylodoniscus, Lancanjiangosaurus, Yunxiansaurus, Dachongosaurus, Yibinosaurus, Hisanohamasaurus, Sauropodus, Damalasaurus, Sugiyamasaurus, Moabosaurus, Megacervixosaurus, Omeisauridae. Excerpt: Abrosaurus (pronounced /æbrsrs/ ; 'delicate lizard' from the Greek meaning 'delicate' or 'dainty' and meaning 'lizard') is a genus of macronarian sauropod dinosaur from the Middle Jurassic ... |
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By Francois Gohier
Silver Burdett Pr
Paperback
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Indiana University Press
Hardcover (432 pages)
| List Price: $59.95*
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Sauropods, those lumbering plant-eating dinosaurs, possessed bodies that seem to defy every natural law. What were these creatures like as living animals and how could they reach such an enormous size? Working groups in Germany and Switzerland representing disciplines ranging from engineering and materials science to animal nutrition and paleontology went in search of the answers to these questions. Biology of the Sauropod Dinosaurs reports on the current state of the groups' research. Covering nutrition, physiology, skeletal structure and body plans, and growth, this volume provides the most up-to-date knowledge about the biology of these giant dinosaurs. |
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