Dicraeosaurus (Gr. δικραιος, dikraios "bifurcated, double-headed" + Gr. σαυρος, sauros "lizard") is a genus of small diplodocoid sauropod dinosaur. It was named for the spines on the back of the neck. The first fossil was described by paleontologist Werner Janensch in 1914.
Description[]
Restoration of D. hansemanni
Size comparison of Dicraeosauridae. D. hansemanni in brown, D. sattleri in red.
Unlike most diplodocoids, Dicraeosaurus had a large head with a relatively short and wide neck. The neck contained 12 unusually short vertebrae, so it could probably browse vegetation only from ground level to a height of about 3m ft.[1] It also lacked the whiplash tail that other diplodocids had. It was smaller, at only reached 12m ft in length. It gets its name, which means two-forked lizard, from the spines that came from the vertebrae. They were not straight as in some members of the family. Each one was “Y” shaped, like a fork. These spines also provided muscle attachment points.[2]
Paleoecology[]
Dicraeosaurus lived in the Late Jurassic. It was herbivorous; however, it didn’t compete with other dinosaurs for vegetation. Fossils have been discovered in the rocks of Tendaguru Hill in Tanzania. The rocks also yield fossils of Giraffatitan and Kentrosaurus. As there was a distinct difference in size between these animals, they would probably have browsed for vegetation at different levels, allowing them to co-exist without significant competition.[2]
Classification[]
The following cladogram follows an analysis by Sereno et al. in 2007.[3]
| Diplodocoidea |
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JPInstitute.com Description[]
This large African long-necked (sauropod) dinosaur is not very well known. It is related to the much more famous Diplodocus from North America. It had a long tail and its neck was not quite as long, relative to its body, as that of Diplodocus.
Discovered in 1914 and on display at the Humboldt Museum in Germany, this large sauropod has not received the attention of its better known relatives. The display specimen is a composite of several individuals. The genus has two species. It is one more example of a North American dinosaur family being found in Africa.