Apatosaurus
Pronunciation: uh-PAT-uh-SAWR-us
Apatosaurus ajax
"deceptive lizard of Ajax"
Despite its massive size, Apatosaurus had a relatively small head and a brain the size of a tennis ball that weighed only about four ounces. Lacking flat teeth for grinding, it used its peg-like teeth to strip leaves from trees and swallowed them whole.
Like pigeons, alligators, sea lions and other modern animals, Apatosaurus swallowed rocks (called gastroliths) in order to grind up the hundreds of pounds of tough vegetation that ended up in its stomach each day.
Where found: North America
Geologic time frame: Late Jurassic, 152 – 151 million years ago
Diet: herbivore
Habitat: forests, woodlands, floodplains, savannas
Length:Â 70 – 75 ft
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Plan your visit today!
The Phoenix Zoo is one of the largest non-profit zoos in the U.S., caring for over 3,000 animals, with nearly 400 species represented, including many threatened/endangered species.
