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Camarasaurus

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A Camarasaurus skeleton (Wikimedia Commons)

Name:

Camarasaurus (Greek for "chambered lizard"); pronounced cam-AH-rah-SORE-us

Habitat:

Plains of North America

Historical Period:

Late Jurassic (150-145 million years ago)

Size and Weight:

About 60 feet long and 20 tons

Diet:

Plants

Distinguishing Characteristics:

Large, boxy skull; hollow vertebrae; single claw on front feet

About Camarasaurus:

True giants like Argentinosaurus and Apatosaurus get all the press, but pound for pound, the most common sauropod (giant herbivorous dinosaur) of late Jurassic North America was Camarasaurus. This medium-sized giant, which weighed "only" about 20 tons, is believed to have roamed the midwestern plains in herds, and was likely a prime source of food for hungry carnivores.

Paleontologists also believe Camarasaurus subsisted on tougher fare than its larger cousins, since its teeth were adapted to shredding rough vegetation. Like other herbivores, this dinosaur may have swallowed small stones--called "gastroliths"--to help its stomach pulverize its meals. (By the way, the name "chambered lizard" refers to Camarasaurus' head, which contained numerous large openings, possibly for cooling purposes.)

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