Apatosaurus

This passage is about a dinosaur called the Apatosaurus.

Lexile Level: 590L

Categories: History People & Places Animals & Nature

Do you know what an Apatosaurus is? An Apatosaurus is another name for a Brontosaurus. The name means "deceptive lizard" in Greek. The Apatosaurus roamed the earth 140 million years ago. It was one of the largest land animals ever to exist. It was about 70 feet long and 15 feet tall. It weighed 40 tons. It's long neck and tail helped it balance. When the tail went up, the neck went down, like a seesaw. The Apatosaurus ate plants and used its long neck to help it reach its food. It is thought that the Apatosaurus ate almost all the time, except when sleeping. It is also thought that it had big, moose-like lips. The bones of this huge dinosaur were discovered in 1877 in Wyoming. More bones have been found in Colorado, Oklahoma, and Utah. The Apatosaurus lived right here in the USA!