Sauroposeidon Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Sauroposeidon Temporal range: Lower Cretaceous

Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Class:	Sauropsida
Superorder:	Dinosauria
Order:	Saurischia
Suborder:	Sauropodomorpha
Infraorder:	Sauropoda
Family:	Brachiosauridae
Genus:	Sauroposeidon Wedel et al., 2000

Sauroposeidon was a giant dinosaur that lived a long, long time ago. Its name means "earthquake god lizard," which fits because it was one of the biggest dinosaurs ever found! Scientists discovered its bones in Oklahoma. This amazing creature was a type of sauropod, known for their very long necks and tails.

What Sauroposeidon Ate and Where It Lived
How Big Was Sauroposeidon?
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What Sauroposeidon Ate and Where It Lived

Sauroposeidon lived in a place that used to be a river delta. This was a wet area where a river flowed into the Bay of Mexico.

This huge dinosaur was a plant-eater, also called a herbivore. It probably munched on leaves from the very tops of tall trees. Imagine it reaching up to eat from trees like conifers, early magnolias, palms, and sycamores.

How Big Was Sauroposeidon?

Scientists figure out the size of Sauroposeidon by comparing its bones to other similar dinosaurs. They looked at four neck bones (vertebrae) from Sauroposeidon. Then, they compared them to the bones of a very complete brachiosaur called Giraffatitan. This Giraffatitan skeleton is in the Humboldt Museum in Berlin.

Neck Length

The neck of Sauroposeidon was incredibly long! Scientists believe it was about 11.25–12 m (37–39 ft) long. To give you an idea, the neck of Giraffatitan was about 9 m (30 ft) long. This means Sauroposeidon's neck was much longer!

Reaching High

Because of its super long neck, Sauroposeidon could probably lift its head incredibly high. It could reach up to 17 m (56 ft) above the ground. That's as tall as a six-story building! In comparison, Giraffatitan could only raise its head about 13.5 m (44 ft) into the air.

Overall Size

Scientists estimate that Sauroposeidon's shoulders were about 6–7 m (20–23 ft) high. This is based on the idea that it was a type of brachiosaurid. Its total length, from nose to tail, might have been anywhere from 28 m (92 ft) to 34 m (112 ft). That's like having two or three school buses lined up end-to-end!