Brachiosaurus 4 Eoraptor 6 Maiasaura 8 Parasaurolophus 10 Quetzalcoatlus 12 Sinornithosaurus 14 Spinosaurus 16 Stegosaurus 18 Stenopterygius 20 Triceratops 22 Tyrannosaurus Rex 24 Velociraptor 26 Fact Sheet 28 Glossary 30 For More Information 31 Index 32 About the Author 32 TABLE OF CONTENTS
There was no need for the Brachiosaurus to stretch to reach trees The Brachiosaurus holds the record for being the largest living thing to walk on Earth Unlike other dinosaurs that could run on two legs the Brachiosaurus needed four thick legs to support the weight of its body Early illustrations showed the Brachiosaurus on its two back legs eating leaves from treetops Scientists now believe the front legs held most of the weight The two back legs were not strong enough to hold the dinosaur up The Brachiosaurus had a long neck It was the tallest herbivore of its time It could reach more than twice as high as a giraffe The long neck was a problem for young Brachiosaurus Since they were shorter the neck was THE BRACHIOSAURUS REACHED FOR THE TREETOPS 1 4
easier for predators to bite and pull the dinosaur down Once a Brachiosaurus was at its full height and weight it was intimidating to most other dinosaurs and would have been difficult to attack and kill Brachiosaurus are also believed to have lived and moved in herds Healthy Brachiosaurus would have protected the younger or weaker Brachiosaurus from attack The Brachiosaurus had spoon shaped teeth This helped it eat through pinecones and ferns The Brachiosaurus needed a lot of food each day It ate 440 pounds 200 kg of leaves and twigs every day THINK ABOUT IT Why was the slow-moving Brachiosaurus safe from attack once it was an adult Why is traveling in herds safer than traveling alone 50 Height in feet 15 m of a tree that a Brachiosaurus could reach Pronounced BRAK-ee oh-sore-us When 155 140 million years ago Late Jurassic Period Fossil location United States Size 50 feet 15 m tall 120,000 pounds 54,431 kg The Brachiosaurus is recognizable by the lump on its forehead 5
