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About Mamenchisaurus:
If it hadn't been named after the province of China where it was discovered, in 1952, Mamenchisaurus might better have been called "Neckosaurus." This sauropod (a family of gigantic, herbivorous dinosaurs) wasn't quite as big as cousins like Apatosaurus or Argentinosaurus, but it had the longest neck of any of its breed--over 35 feet long, with huge, elongated, numerous vertebrae.
With such a long neck, you might think Mamenchisaurus subsisted on the uppermost leaves of tall trees. However, some paleontologists believe this dinosaur didn't hold its neck vertically, but rather swept it back and forth close to the ground, like the hose of a giant vacuum cleaner. In any event, it's hard to imagine Mamenchisaurus having a robust enough metabolism (or a strong enough heart) to enable it to pump blood 35 feet into the air!
