Look up · dinosaur 1196 of 1,425
long-neck giant
Supersaurus
Say it like this: “SOO-per-SAWR-us”
Supersaurus vivianae
Supersaurus ate plants and walked on four legs. It lived in the Late Jurassic. Bones have been found in the United States.
- When
- Late Jurassic (Kimmeridgian · Tithonian) · roughly 154.8 to 143.1 million years ago
- Named in
- 1985 · Jensen, J. A.
- Hip height
- 5 m · 16 ft
- Length
- 33–40 m · 108–131 ft
- Weight
- Not established
- Found in
- the United States · Morrison
- Food and walking
- Herbivore · Four legs
- Kind
- long-neck giant · Sauropod
- Family branch
- Diplodocinae
The story in short
Supersaurus was formally named in 1985 by J. A. Jensen. The name means “super lizard.”
Fossils referred to Supersaurus date to the Late Jurassic (Kimmeridgian · Tithonian), roughly 154.8 to 143.1 million years ago. Finds come from the United States, including the Morrison Formation. It was a herbivore and walked on four legs.
Published estimates put Supersaurus at a length near 33–40 m and hips about 5 m high.
On the family tree it sits in Diplodocinae, among the sauropod dinosaurs.
Close relatives
Ardetosaurus
Ardetosaurus viator
Late Jurassic (Kimmeridgian) · roughly 154.8 to 149.2 million years ago
Barosaurus
Barosaurus lentus
Late Jurassic (Kimmeridgian · Tithonian) · roughly 154.8 to 143.1 million years ago
Dinheirosaurus
Dinheirosaurus lourinhanensis
Late Jurassic (Kimmeridgian · Tithonian) · roughly 154.8 to 143.1 million years ago