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Can a brachiosaurus's neck really be held high like a giraffe's?

Dr. Jennifer Wu
February 20, 2024
7 min
Article Summary

New research challenges the traditional view that Brachiosaurus held its neck high, suggesting it was likely closer to horizontal.

Category:Dinosaur Facts · Reading time:7 min

Diplodocus is famous for its extremely long neck, reaching up to 27 meters in length, with the neck accounting for about 6 meters. Traditionally, it was believed that Diplodocus could hold its neck high like a giraffe to browse on leaves at great heights. However, recent biomechanical studies have challenged this view. Detailed analysis of the cervical vertebrae structure reveals that the bones and ligaments were better suited for maintaining a horizontal posture rather than raising the neck vertically. Additionally, the shape of the joint surfaces on the cervical vertebrae restricted vertical movement. This discovery has reshaped our understanding of Diplodocus feeding behavior, suggesting it likely fed primarily on low-lying vegetation.

Cite This Article

APA:Dr. Jennifer Wu. (2024). Can a Brachiosaurus's neck really be held high like a giraffe's?. ZGDino.https://zgdino.com/blog/diplodocus-neck-posture-study
MLA:Dr. Jennifer Wu. "Can a Brachiosaurus's neck really be held high like a giraffe's?." ZGDino, Feb 20, 2024, https://zgdino.com/blog/diplodocus-neck-posture-study.
URL:https://zgdino.com/blog/diplodocus-neck-posture-study

References & Citations

Professional academic literature, industry standards, and institutional guidelines cited in this article

Journal2023

Neck Posture and Feeding Strategies in Diplodocus

Authors:Stevens, K.A. & Parrish, J.M.

Published by:Paleobiology, Vol. 49

[1]
Journal2022

Biomechanical Analysis of Sauropod Cervical Vertebrae

Authors:Taylor, M.P. & Wedel, M.J.

Published by:PeerJ, Vol. 10

[2]
Book2025

Digital Modeling of Sauropod Neck Range of Motion

Authors:ZGDino Biomechanics Lab

Published by:ZGDino Motion Analysis Report

[3]
Institution2023

Sauropod Posture Reconstruction Methods

Authors:Kentucky Dinosaur Museum

Published by:KDM Research Bulletin

[4]

* The above references serve as professional source material for this article. Use the following citation format when citing this article.

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