Amargasaurus A relatively small sauropod from the Late Jurassic. It was 10 metres (33 feet) long, with two rows of tall spines running down its back. These may have supported skin sails which could have acted as temperature controllers. They would also have made it look larger to predators.

Apatosaurus A large sauropod from the Late Jurassic. At 23 metres (75 feet) long, Apatosaurus was one of the largest land animals ever. It is often mistakenly called Brontosaurus, after two skeletons of the same species were accidentally given different names. The first to be named was called Apatosaurus, so it kept this name.

Brachiosaurus A very large sauropod from the Jurassic Period. At 25 metres (82 feet) long and 14 metres (46 feet) tall, Brachiosaurus would have been able to look into the top-floor window of a four-storey-building. Its name, meaning “arm lizard”, refers to the unusual feature that its forelegs were longer than its hind legs.

Camarasaurus An 18-metre (59-foot) sauropod from the Late Jurassic. It had a relatively short neck and tail compared to other sauropods. Its name, meaning “chambered lizard”, refers to the hollows in its neck and back bones.

Diplodocus A 27-metre (89-foot) sauropod from the Late Jurassic. Diplodocus is one of the longest known dinosaurs. It belonged to the diplodocid family, which included Apatosaurus, Seismosaurus and Supersaurus.

Gastrolith A pebble swallowed to help with digestion. Massive plant-eaters like Diplodocus had no chewing teeth, so they swallowed food whole, along with gizzard stones, or gastroliths. These helped to mash the food in the dinosaurs’ stomachs.

Mamenchisaurus A typical sauropod from Jurassic China. Mamenchisaurus was 25 metres (82 feet) long, with a huge, 15-metre-long (49-foot) neck. It had 19 vertebrae in its neck—more than any other known dinosaur.

Plateosaurus A large prosauropod from the Triassic Period. It probably spent most of its time on its two powerful back legs. This allowed Plateosaurus to reach leaves on high branches. It had large thumb-claws, which it could use to pull down branches or lash out at predators.

Prosauropods A group of plant-eating dinosaurs from the Triassic and Early Jurassic periods. They all had long necks and tails and small heads. Many of them walked on two legs, but some walked on four. Prosauropods were once thought to be the ancestors of larger four-legged sauropods but are now considered to be a distinct group. They included Plateosaurus and Riojasaurus.

Saltasaurus An armoured titanosaur from Late Cretaceous Argentina. It grew to about 12 metres (39 feet) long and had bony studs set into the skin on its back and sides. These would have made it hard for predators to bite it.

Sauropodomorphs The name given to the group of dinosaurs that includes both the sauropods and the prosauropods.

Sauropods A group of large plant-eating saurischian or “lizard-hipped” dinosaurs. They first emerged towards the end of the Triassic Period and spread to every continent on Earth. They had tiny heads, enormously long necks and tails, barrel-shaped bodies and elephant-like legs. They used their long necks to reach leaves in the treetops or to reach down to drink from rivers. To nourish their great bulk, they spent all day eating. Sauropods walked on four legs, but may have been able to rear up to reach the very highest branches, or crash down to protect themselves from meat-eating dinosaurs.

Shunosaurus A sauropod from Jurassic China. It had a short neck, and a spiky tail-club it could swing at its enemies.

Titanosaurs A group of sauropods that lived in the Cretaceous Period. The titanosaur group includes what many believe to be the heaviest dinosaur that ever lived, the 65–80-tonne Argentinosaurus.

Consultant: Chris Jarvis