Diplodocus

Kids Dinosaur Facts

Wanting to know all about the Diplodocus? Find out where they lived, how big they are and what they ate!

Diplodocus were plant eaters (herbivores) which grazed in large herds together - the same as Triceratops.

Fast Facts

  • You pronounce their name 'dip-lod-ic-uss'.

  • The meaning of their name is 'double beamed lizard'.

  • They lived at the end of the Jurassic Period.

  • They are the longest known dinosaur.

  • Their length was up to 27 metres (88 feet)

  • They weighed about 12 tons (as much as a large truck).

Diplodocus Dinosaur

More Dinosaur Details

Diplodocus Dinosaur Timeline

They lived about 154 to 150 million years ago - in the late Jurassic period. This was about the same time as the Stegosaurus dinosaur and the Allosaurus.

Dinosaurs - Diplodocus wading in lake

Diplodocus had very powerful back legs! Its body was balanced by a long heavy tail - often used as a weapon against attackers. Their size would also have been a deterrent to predators.

It is thought to be the longest known dinosaur. The neck could reach over 6m (20ft) and its long tail had 80 vertebrae. It was first thought that the tail dragged along as it walked - but no drag marks have been found beside fossilized footprints.

Its dinosaur classification is Sauropoda.

Diplodocus Dinosaur Facts


They had a very small head compared to the size of its body and would have had a very small brain. According to wikipedia, scientists now think that it would have not been able to lift it's head much higher than its body. So a lot of the earlier drawings of this dinosaur with its head at tree level would be wrong.

More questions you may have :

  • What did they eat?
    They were plant eaters with peg like teeth, perfect for stripping the leaves from ferns. This video from the BBC will tell you more about their diet.
    It would have eaten trees, bushes, cycads, gingkoes and ferns.

  • Where did they live?


    • Diplodocus Dinosaur Map - where did they live?


  • How big did it grow?

    • Diplodocus Dinosaur Size



    They weighed from 10 to 15 tons - as much as a large truck. Although heavy, they were not the heaviest dinosaur. The Brachiosaurus weighed around 30 tons!
    Triceratops Dinosaur Coloring Sheet

    Go to Kids Dinosaurs Home from Diplodocus

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