What makes Camarasaurus scientifically significant?

Camarasaurus provides critical insights into the evolutionary radiation of Sauropodomorpha. Holotypes and fossil evidence indicate: Dozens of complete skulls and articulated skeletons, including juveniles from Dinosaur National Monument.

Camarasaurus (Camarasaurus supremus Cope, 1877) - Size, Diet & Jurassic Period Facts

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Camarasaurus (Camarasaurus supremus Cope, 1877) - Size, Diet & Jurassic Period Facts | DinoOrigin

Evolutionary Taxonomy & Cladistics

View Dinosaur Phylogeny

Phylogenetic classification of Camarasaurus supremus Cope, 1877 based on peer-reviewed cladistic analyses of diagnostic skeletal synapomorphies.

Taxonomic Rank	Taxon / Clade	Diagnostic Context
Kingdom	Animalia	Monophyletic prehistoric clade
Phylum	Chordata	Monophyletic prehistoric clade
Clade	Dinosauria	Monophyletic prehistoric clade
Order	Saurischia (Lizard-Hipped Dinosaurs)	Characterized ancestrally by a triradiate pelvis with an anteriorly pointing pubis.
Suborder	Sauropodomorpha	Herbivorous saurischians characterized by elongated necks, columnar limbs, and enormous body volumes.
Genus	Camarasaurus	Monophyletic prehistoric clade
Species	Camarasaurus supremus Cope, 1877	Specific authority designation

Anatomy & Physical Characteristics

Camarasaurus ('chambered lizard') was the most common sauropod in the Morrison Formation. Named for the large hollow pneumatic chambers (pleurocoels) within its vertebrae that drastically lightened its skeleton, it was a mid-to-high level canopy browser.

Its deep, blunt snout was equipped with large, robust, spoon-shaped teeth capable of chewing coarser vegetation than the delicate peg-like teeth of Diplodocus.

Diagnostic Morphological Traits

Stout sauropod with a boxy, arched skull, large nares positioned high on the face, and spatulate teeth.

Comparative Scale & Biometrics

Anatomical dimensions relative to an average adult human (1.8 m / 6 ft tall)

Approx. 10.0× human length

Camarasaurus (Length)15–18 m (49.2–59.1 ft)

Adult Human1.8 m (6.0 ft)

Length

15–18 m (49.2–59.1 ft)

Height

5–6.5 m (16.4–21.3 ft)

Estimated Mass

12.0–20.0 metric tons (26,455–44,092 lbs)

Diet & Feeding Ecology

All Herbivore Species

Trophic Guild: Herbivore

High-fiber browser consuming tough conifer needles, twigs, and cycad fronds.

Paleobiology & Behavior

Mid-to-high tier canopy browser utilizing robust spatulate teeth to crop tough conifer foliage. As one of the most common sauropods in the Morrison Formation, it was sympatric with long-necked diplodocids like Diplodocus and was frequently targeted by apex predators such as Allosaurus.

Habitat & Ecological Biome

Prehistoric Depositional Setting

Riparian corridors, scrub plains, and open conifer-ginkgo forests.

Fossil Evidence & Specimen Records

Preserved Skeletal Material & Bonebeds

Dozens of complete skulls and articulated skeletons, including juveniles from Dinosaur National Monument.

Discovery & Taxonomic Naming History

Year of Discovery / Description1877

Type Specimen Locality & FormationGarden Park, Colorado, United States

Collected by Oramel W. Lucas; purchased and described by Edward Drinker Cope.

Geological Era & Chronostratigraphy

Explore All Jurassic Period Fauna

Jurassic Period PeriodTemporal Interval: 155–145 Ma (million years ago)

Marked by lush greenhouse climates, the breakup of Pangaea, and the evolutionary explosion of sauropods, plated stegosaurs, and apex megalosauroid and allosauroid theropods.

Where It Lived & Paleoenvironment

North America Dinosaurs

During the Mesozoic Era, continental drift progressively reconfigured land bridges, atmospheric currents, and regional precipitation regimes. Fossils of Camarasaurus evidence its adaptation to the paleoenvironments of North America.

Paleogeographic RealmNorth America (North America)

Home to the fossil-rich Morrison Formation of the Late Jurassic and the Hell Creek and Dinosaur Park Formations of the Late Cretaceous.

Fossil Discovery Locality

Scientific Significance & Evolutionary Impact

The anatomical architecture of Camarasaurus serves as a crucial benchmark in vertebrate paleontology, illustrating key adaptive radiations within Sauropodomorpha.

Phylogenetic Placement: Informs cladistic debates concerning the divergence, skull biomechanics, and skeletal evolution of Jurassic Period fauna.
Paleoecological Guild: Documents trophic specialization (Herbivore) and predator-prey dynamics across its regional ecosystem.
Taphonomic Record: Dozens of complete skulls and articulated skeletons, including juveniles from Dinosaur National Monument.

Frequently Asked Questions About Camarasaurus

Scientifically verified answers based on peer-reviewed paleontological evidence.

Q1.When did Camarasaurus live?

Camarasaurus lived during the Jurassic Period Period, approximately 155–145 Ma (million years ago). This places it within the Mesozoic Era.

Q2.How big was Camarasaurus?

Paleontological estimates place Camarasaurus at a length of 15–18 m (49.2–59.1 ft), a hip/standing height of 5–6.5 m (16.4–21.3 ft), and a body mass of 12.0–20.0 metric tons (26,455–44,092 lbs).

Q3.What was the diet of Camarasaurus?

Classified as a herbivore, Camarasaurus specialized in consuming High-fiber browser consuming tough conifer needles, twigs, and cycad fronds..

Q4.Where were Camarasaurus fossils discovered?

Fossil specimens of Camarasaurus have been recovered from Garden Park, Colorado, United States, with notable historic specimens documented in 1877. Collected by Oramel W. Lucas; purchased and described by Edward Drinker Cope.

Academic Literature & Peer-Reviewed References

Authoritative citations establishing the factual taxonomy, biometrics, and anatomy of Camarasaurus.

Palaeontological BulletinView Publication
Cope, E. D. (1877). On a gigantic saurian from the Dakota epoch of Colorado. Palaeontological Bulletin, 25, 5-10.
Curated & Verified: 2026-09-24

Camarasaurus

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