Sauropod dinosaur (skull cast)

BIG BODIES POSE BIG CHALLENGES
No other land animals have ever grown as big as long-necked sauropod dinosaurs. With these super sizes came monumental challenges.

Diplodocus, Camarasaurus, and their relatives had a host of strategies that helped them move, eat, and grow at a massive scale.

Eating and Digesting…Tons of Food
All sauropods ate plants, but different species fed in distinct ways. Dinosaur tooth shape and wear are key to learning about their diets and eating habits.

• Diplodocus used the peg-like teeth at the front of its mouth to strip leaves off of branches.
• Camarasaurus cropped vegetation with its broad, spoon-shaped teeth.
• Camarasaurus had more, shorter vertebrae, which gave the neck better flexibility. It may have held its neck more upright to reach treetops.