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About Cetiosaurus:
One of those dinosaurs that was discovered ahead of its time, the first Cetiosaurus fossil was unearthed in the early 19th century, before paleontologists had grasped the enormous sizes attained by the sauropods (other examples of which are Brachiosaurus and Apatosaurus). At first, it was thought this bizarre creature was a giant whale or crocodile, hence its name (which was bestowed by the early paleontologist Richard Owen).
The most unusual feature of Cetiosaurus is its backbone. Unlike some other sauropods, which had hollow vertebrae (an adaptation that helped to reduce their crushing weight), this huge herbivore had vertebrae of solid bone. Paleontologists also believe it roamed the Jurassic plains in packs, rumbling along at a brisk 10 miles per hour.


