Diplodocus and Brachiosaurus are all genera of Sauropod, and although this makes them quite similar to each other at first appearance, they both are different. Each of these beautiful species deserves to be recognized for its individuality, and we think they’re all fantastic – so let’s take a closer look.
Brachiosaurus belonged to the Brachiosauridae family, which also included some of the tallest Sauropods, while Diplodocus belonged to the Diplodocidae, which included the longest Sauropods. Brachiosaurus is taller than Diplodocus, as predicted by the family groups, but Diplodocus is longer than Brachiosaurus.
This article will go through the differences between these two dinosaurs and some more interesting facts about them.
However, before going on into these details, let’s understand what Sauropod is.
Sauropods
Sauropods are the type of gigantic dinosaurs with long necks and tails, small heads, and four pillar-like legs.
Sauropods are herbivores, meaning they exclusively consume plants and are the largest dinosaurs (and terrestrial creatures) to have ever existed.
The two dinosaurs we’re looking at today, Diplodocus and Brachiosaurus, are two of the most well-known Sauropods, but people frequently mix them and fail to tell them apart; that is something we would like to fix.
Both of these dinosaurs belong to the late Jurrasic World and are great herbivores. Let’s begin with the information pieces related to Diplodocus and Brachiosaurus.
Diplodocus
Diplodocus is a sauropod dinosaur genus featured in the Jurassic World Evolution film series. Diplodocus, one of the most widely recognized dinosaurs and possibly the longest-known Sauropod, emerged in Late Jurassic North America.
Diplodocus, a giant and graceful sauropod over 90 feet long, is reported to be among the longest yet unearthed, with a long sweeping neck and an equally long, if not longer, tail with spines extending down its back. It has a reddish-brown base genome.
Diplodocus is the simplest of the sauropods available for Jurassic World operations in the Muertes Archipelago, requiring only a small quantity of woodland. They are content to live alone but can form social groups of up to eight other Diplodocus.
Discovered in 1878 and rapidly became one of the world’s most famous dinosaurs because of mass-produced casts of a complete type fossil, dubbed ‘Dippy.’ These casts were distributed to museums around the globe.
They need more grassland than smaller herbivores, allowing them to accept bigger groupings of other dinosaurs in the same exhibit, tolerating up to twenty-four species. In Jurassic North America, Diplodocus was a fairly abundant sauropod.
In the real world, Diplodocus could use its tail as a whip to ward off predators and as a counterweight as it rears up on its hind legs to reach high into the treetops.
If you are interested in knowing some amazing facts about Diplodocus Dinosaur, keep on reading.
Brachiosaurus
Brachiosaurus, like Diplodocus, was a significantly rarer dinosaur. Brachiosaurus and Diplodocus both lived in the same environment.
Brachiosaurus is still known only from a single fragmentary skeleton, a partial head, and a few bones, maybe a mostly complete infant skeleton, as well as a few additional bones.
Diplodocus, on the other hand, is known from many partial skeletons; some of which are mostly complete, and hundreds of fragmentary specimens. Giraffatitan, the African relative of Brachiosaurus, was more numerous.
Points of Distinctions
Both Diplodocus and Brachiosaurus are long-necked sauropods, four-legged herbivorous dinosaurs; yet both have considerable differences:
- Brachiosaurus possessed long front legs, while Diplodocus had small front legs. Brachiosaurus had a short tail, while Diplodocus had a large whiplike tail.
- Diplodocus possibly held its neckless vertically than Brachiosaurus. The skulls of Diplodocus and Brachiosaurus were significantly diverse in shape.
- Brachiosaurus most likely fed from treetops, whereas Diplodocus fed closer to the ground.
- Brachiosaurus weighed roughly 30-40 tons, while Diplodocus weighed around 10-15. Diplodocus was around 25-30 meters longer than Brachiosaurus, about 20 meters.
- Even though the Diplodocus and Brachiosaurus are both Sauropod dinosaurs, they do not share the same family group. At the same time, Diplodocus is a member of the Diplodocidae family, which includes some of the tallest Sauropods.
- Brachiosaurus is a member of the Brachiosauridae family, which includes some of the shortest Sauropods. As the family groups suggest, Brachiosaurus is taller than Diplodocus, yet Diplodocus is longer than Brachiosaurus.
- Diplodocus possessed a long, whip-like tail that could break, whereas Brachiosaurus had a shorter, thicker tail. The changes in skull form are one of the most obvious variances between these two huge creatures.
- While both dinosaurs had smaller heads than their massive proportions, Brachiosaurus featured a distinct ridge above its eyes called a Nare.
- The Brachiosaurus’ Nare functioned similarly to a nose and would have had air openings through which the Brachiosaurus could breathe.
Which is Larger, the Brachiosaurus or the Diplodocus?
Brachiosaurus is larger than Diplodocus.
Despite its intimidating reputation and immense length, Diplodocus was quite slim compared to other late Jurassic sauropods, reaching a maximum weight of “just” 20 or 25 tons, compared to nearly 50 tons for the contemporary Brachiosaurus.
Brachiosaurus’s skull can be seen in images and renderings of the dinosaur. This is an easy way to determine which of these two dinosaurs you’re looking at.
Who Would Triumph: Brachiosaurus or Diplodocus?
Diplodocus would most likely prevail.
However, Diplodocus is not as massive as Brachiosaurus, sauroposeidon, the higher size estimate for Amphicoelias (the lower size estimate is a suitable comparison to Diplodocus, although somewhat larger), or the other largest sauropods.
Diplodocus was a Titanosaur, right?
The bone was clearly from a sauropod, a long-necked dinosaur like Brontosaurus, Diplodocus, and Brachiosaurus.
It was one of the titanosaurs, the final surviving group of sauropods and most likely the largest. Even known titanosaurs did not have such large thighs.
Is Brachiosaurus Classified as a Titanosaur?
Titanosaurs were a varied group of sauropods (giant four-legged, long-necked, and long-tailed dinosaurs) that existed from the late Jurassic through the end-Cretaceous epochs.
Brachiosaurus, a titanosauriform dinosaur with a giraffe-like neck that lived during the Jurassic period, was one example.
Watch the video below to see the exciting tournament of Diplodocus and Brachiosaurus.
Differences and Similarities Between Diplodocus and Brachiosaurus
Let’s look at the distinctions and similarities between Brachiosaurus and Diplodocus and learn how to tell them apart for good.
- These extraordinary Sauropods coexisted throughout North America during the late Jurassic period, and their remains have been unearthed throughout the continent. African Diplodocus remains may also have been uncovered!
- Brachiosaurus, Diplodocus, and other plant-eating dinosaurs were most likely peaceful. Once mature, these gentle giants had almost no predators and had no reason to attack other dinosaurs. Despite their gentle nature, they all have long, strong tails.
- Brachiosaurus has a shorter, thicker tail that would have been quite powerful, but Diplodocus both had long, thin tails that could snap like a whip. Diplodocus and Brachiosaurus are both members of the Diplodocidae family, although Diplodocus is a member of the taller Brachiosauridae.
- These incredible dinosaurs have four powerful pillar-like legs that sustain their immense weight, although their dimensions differ slightly. Diplodocus had longer rear legs for better ground grazing, whereas Brachiosaurus had longer front limbs for reaching up high.
- Look for the tallest Sauropod among the three to identify Brachiosaurus. It is also the heaviest of the three dinosaurs and the only one with longer front limbs than hind limbs, leading its back to tilt. Brachiosaurus had shorter tails and moved in groups.
- Brachiosaurus is easily identified by the protrusion on top of its head, commonly known as a nare. Look for a long dinosaur to identify the Diplodocus. Adult Diplodocus might grow to be 175 feet long. Diplodocus traveled in herds feeding on plants. Diplodocus is the shortest of the three dinosaurs and the world’s longest land animal!
The table below summarizes the differences between these two dinosaurs.
| Features | Diplodocus | Brachiosaurus |
| Size | Longer and slimmer; 24-26 m long, weighing 12-15 tons (12k-13.6k kg) | Overall length ranges from 59′-72.2′ (18-22 m), standing height ranges from 41′-49.2′ (12.5-15 m), body width ranges from 10.2′-12.5′ (3.1-3.8 m), and weight ranges from 62,400-103,400 lb. |
| Period | Late Jurassic | Late Jurassic |
| Vertebrae | A total of 80 tail bones with “double-beamed” chevrons | Made up of thirteen elongated cervical (neck) vertebrae. The neck was bent in an S-curve, with the lower and upper sections bowed and the center section straight. |
| Social Behavior | Massive herds | Solitary |
| Feeding Habits | Herbivorous | Herbivorous |
| Habitat and Range | North America | North America |
| Naming | “Double-beamed” in Neo-Latinized Greek (diplosdokos) | Brachiosaurus altithorax, which is the Greek name for Arm Lizard |
| Species | 2 | 1 |
Conclusion
- In this article, we discussed the difference between Diplodocus and Brachiosaurus in detail that appeared in Jurassic World Series.
- During the late Jurassic period, these remarkable Sauropods coexisted throughout North America, and their remains have been discovered across the continent. Diplodocus and Brachiosaurus are both four-legged herbivorous sauropods with lengthy necks.
- Although both Diplodocus and Brachiosaurus are members of the Diplodocidae family, Diplodocus is a member of the taller Brachiosauridae.
- Even though their sizes ranged slightly, these magnificent dinosaurs had four muscular pillar-like legs that supported their enormous weight. There are other disparities that we have covered.