Brontosaurus and brachiosaurus are members of the herbivorous dinosaur species from the late Jurassic period. The two members have many similarities and are often confused with each other. So, this post about brontosaurus vs. brachiosaurus will help you learn about their differences.
The brontosaurus is a giant dinosaur. It has a long, thin neck, a small head, a heavy body, and a long whip-like tail. In contrast, a brachiosaurus is a dinosaur with a small head, extremely long neck, and muscular tail. A brontosaurus is elephant-like, while a brachiosaurus is giraffe-like.
The brontosaurus and brachiosaurus are among the largest land animals ever walking on earth. So, if you are into dinosaurs, you probably have heard of one of them. However, if you have not, this post will tell you all you need to know about them and their differences. Keep it here and learn more.
Definitions Of Brontosaurus And Brachiosaurus
The primary difference between the brontosaurus and the brachiosaurus is how they look. Note that these land animals are currently extinct. Therefore, you cannot visit the park or zoo to check out their differences and similarities. Also, even with photos, unless you know what to look out for, you may be unable to tell them apart. Here are the standard definitions of brontosaurus and brachiosaurus.
Definition Of Brontosaurus
Brontosaurus is a giant sauropod dinosaur that existed between the late Jurassic and early Cretaceous periods. Therefore, they lived between 163.5 to 100.5 million years ago. The brontosaurus is the most famous dinosaur. Thus, the image that comes to most people’s minds when they think of dinosaurs is likely one of the brontosauruses. An example in a sentence is, “The brontosaurus is one of the largest animals ever to walk the earth.”
Another definition for brontosaurus is any giant herbivorous quadrupedal dinosaur of the Apatosaurus genus. That tells you its earlier name was the apatosaurus. This animal was common in North America during the Jurassic period. It has a lengthy tail and neck. For example, in a sentence, “Another name for the brontosaurus is apatosaurus.”
Some dictionaries define brontosaurus as one of the largest but extinct land animals. In a sentence, “The brontosaurus has an extended neck, little head, and thick columnar limbs.” The alternative name for the brontosaurus is “the thunder lizard.”
Definition Of Brachiosaurus
Brachiosaurus is a dinosaur of the brachiosaurus genus and one of the largest land animals ever known. A sentence example is, “The brachiosaurus is about 30 meters long.”
According to reputable sources, brachiosaurus means “arm lizard” because of its unusually long limbs. The brachiosaurus lived in North America, Africa, and Tanzania during the mid to late Jurassic period, about 155.7 to 150.8 million years ago. Here is an example sentence, “The brachiosaurus lived over 150 million years ago.
How To Properly Use Brontosaurus And Brachiosaurus In A Sentence
“Brontosaurus” and “brachiosaurus” are easy words to use because they are both nouns with one meaning. Therefore, their application context is relatively straightforward. Here are some things you should know before using these words:
How And When To Use Brontosaurus
Use this word as a noun referring to a giant dinosaur that lived over 150 million years ago. You can also use this word when discussing the animal genus brachiosaurus.
However, you can also use it unofficially to refer to a large animal. For example, in a sentence, “Dr. Michael had an attitude the size of a bloated brontosaurus.” In this sentence, the speaker uses “brontosaurus” to exaggerate how big of an ego the doctor has.
The plural for brontosaurus is “brontosauruses.” In a sentence, “The photos of the brontosauruses are unclear.”
How And When To Use Brachiosaurus
Use this word in a sentence as a noun for the giant dinosaur that lived during the Jurassic period. For example, in a sentence, “The brachiosaurus is one of the most famous dinosaurs.”
You can also use this word when referring to something really large or if you want to exaggerate the size of an object or a person. An example sentence is, “Einstein’s brain can be described as large as the brachiosaurus.” In this sentence, the word “brachiosaurus” represents how large Einstein’s brain was (not literally).
The plural form for “brachiosaurus” is “brachiosauruses.” In a sentence, “I wish my kids understood the significance of the brachiosauruses in animal history.”
Word Vs Word Posts
Brontosaurus vs. Brachiosaurus: A Lot More On Differences
The best way to differentiate these extinct giant land animals is by discussing their distinct characteristics. Below are some elements that explain the differences between the brontosaurus and brachiosaurus:
Existence Era
In the late Jurassic period, the brontosaurus lived between 157 to 145 million years ago. In contrast, the brachiosaurus lived in the same period between 161 to 145 million years ago.
The Size
Both animals are enormous. However, the brachiosaurus is notably heavier, weighing up to 128,000 pounds, while the brontosaurus weighs 33,000 pounds. In contrast, the brontosaurus (72 to 85 feet) has a longer body than the brachiosaurus (60 to 70 feet). Also, the brontosaurus (28 feet tall) is shorter than the brachiosaurus (40 feet tall).
Bodily Characteristics
The brontosaurus features a long body shape, thin neckline, little head, weighty body, and an elongated tail. Therefore, its body shape is elephant-like. On the other hand, the brachiosaurus has a small head, a really long neck, and a muscular tail. You will also realize that it has a giraffe-like body shape.
The brontosaurus has slightly shorter front legs than its hind legs. In contrast, the brachiosaurus has larger and longer front limbs than the back legs.
Besides the differences above, historians also explain that brontosaurus were solitary herbivores that ate ground-level vegetation. On the other hand, brachiosaurus was a herd herbivore and high browser that ate from tree canopies.
Examples Of Brontosaurus And Brachiosaurus Use In Sentences
These are not words people use every day. So, finding sentence examples featuring the words “brontosaurus” and “brachiosaurus” may be difficult. For this reason, we have enough sentence examples in the section below:
Example sentences of brontosaurus
- The brontosaurus is one of the largest animals ever to walk the planet earth.
- My research on the brontosaurus was my most challenging assignment in college.
- The photo of the brontosaurus on my wall is not an authentic one.
- Some of the dinos featured in the new Marvel movie include the brontosaurus and vicious raptors.
- Did you know that the brontosaurus is one of the largest dino species?
Example sentences of brachiosaurus
- The brachiosaurus ate the large tree in a couple of minutes.
- The brachiosaurus has a long and magnificent neck and tail
- Brachiosaurus adapted to living on land, like giraffes, eating from tree canopies.
- The brachiosaurus research article is not as extensive as I expected.
- I researched the brachiosaurus dino species during my last year of studies at the University.
Brontosaurus vs. Brachiosaurus: Similarities
One of the similarities between the brontosaurus and brachiosaurus is that they are giant dinosaurs. They are also the largest land animals ever to walk the earth. Besides their size, these giant dinosaurs are also both extensively researched.
Another difference between the brontosaurus and brachiosaurus is that they are both sauropod dinosaurs. They belong to this genus because they both have small heads and heavy bodies.
Conclusion
Brontosaurus and brachiosaurus are relatively complex words. For instance, they have tricky spellings and can be challenging to pronounce. However, if you are a dino lover or interested in these extinct creatures, you will benefit from learning more about these words. We hope that you found this post interesting.
Shawn Manaher is the founder and CEO of The Content Authority. He’s one part content manager, one part writing ninja organizer, and two parts leader of top content creators. You don’t even want to know what he calls pancakes.