Diplodocus Fact Sheet
Synopsis: MOSI is one of a handful of museums in the world to display one of the largest articulated dinosaurs ever discovered. Sauropods were the colossus of their age, some tipping the scales at a full forty tons. Despite their massive size, they had only a tiny brain - the smallest brain in relation to its bulk of any vertebrate. They were plant eaters and their long necks enabled them to pick food from high in the trees where others couldn't reach. Their long tails helped to balance their very long necks, making it possible for some to reach as high as five stories. The sauropods that occupy MOSI's lobby reach three stories with a total combined length of approximately 150 feet.

Size: Each skeleton is 75' long for a total of 150 linear feet of dinosaur; they tower more than three stories above ground level.

Location: MOSI's Grand Lobby, West Wing.

Highlights: MOSI's project is of international significance because:

• The use of two mounted individual skeletons of Diplodocus is not represented in any other museum in the world.
• This is the first use of an upright posture for a Diplodocus mount.
• This is the first large sauropod skeletal mount displaying individual interaction between dinosaurs of the same species.

Classification: Infraclass Archosauria, Superorder Dinosauria
Order Saurischia
Suborder Sauropodomorpha
Infraorder Sauropoda
Within: Order Saurischia, Suborder Sauropodomorpha
Diplodocidae
Diplodocus
Species D. carnegii Hatcher, 1901

Sauropod is a type of dinosaur; "sauro" means lizard, "pod" means feet.
MOSI's specific sauropods are Diplodocus carnegii. Diplodocus means "double beam" referring to the chevron-shaped vertebrae in the tail. It was named by J. B. Hatcher in honor of Andrew Carnegie whose generosity made it possible to collect this specimen.

Diplodocus was an herbivore.
Diplodocus weighed @ 20 tons.
Diplodocus lived during the Jurassic period in what is now known as the western United States.

Major donors:
Adams Baldwin
Aerial Communications
AmSouth
Barnett Bank
Batson Cook
BEAM (Be Enthusiastic About MOSI)
Bob Lang
Cargill Fertilizer, Inc.
Clear Channel Communications
Colliers Arnold
Eller Media
Florida Department of State
GTE Wireless
Hillsborough County
HOPS
ISS Landscape
JACOR
Kash N' Karry
Lang Engineering
Markborough Florida
Metropolitan Life Foundation
Northrop Grumman
PrimeCo
Publix Super Market Charities
Smith & Nephew
State of Florida
Sunrise Medical
Time-Warner Trust
Tourist Development Council
United Healthcare
Yale Industrial Trucks