Giraffatitan Dinosaur is a genus of sauropod dinosaur that lived during the Early Cretaceous period. The type species, Giraffatitan brancai, is known from a single incomplete skeleton found in Kenya. It was first described in 1914 by German paleontologist Werner Janensch. Giraffatitan is a member of the Titanosauria, a group of large sauropods characterized by their long necks and small heads. The genus is closely related to Brachiosaurus, another titanosaur genus. It is considered to have been one of the largest animals ever to walk the earth, reaching lengths of up to 30 meters (100 feet) long and heights of up to 18 meters (59 feet) tall.
Giraffatitan's skeleton was found in 1909 and described by Janensch in 1914. The type specimen, the holotype BMNH R3733, was patterned after the original skeleton which was destroyed in 1944 during Allied bombing of the Berlin Natural History Museum. Later expeditions in the late 1970s and early 1980s resulted in the discovery of several additional partial skeletons from the same locality in Ngorongoro, Tanzania.
Giraffatitan Facts :
| Name: | Giraffatitan Dinosaurs |
| Size: | 30 meters (100 feet) |
| Main Facts: | Its legs were massive and have a long neck with a tail that helps to balance the body. |
Giraffatitan was a large and bulky animal, with a long neck and relatively small head. Its vertebrae had high neural spines, suggesting it had a hump-like structure along its back. The vertebrae also had large concave surfaces that could have held air sacs, similar to those seen in living birds. Its legs were massive and heavily constructed, the front legs being somewhat shorter than the hind legs. Its long tail was thought to help balance the body while walking. The skull, which is known from a few fragments, was small and lightly constructed. Giraffatitan was a plant-eater, and likely fed on the low-lying herbs and shrubs of its environment.
It may also have been an occasional source of food for other predators of the day, such as theropods. Giraffatitan is one of the many amazing and amazing extinct animals we have yet to uncover from the long-distant past. This giant is an impressive reminder of the size and diversity that once existed in ancient ecosystems. Though there are still many unanswered questions about this extraordinary creature, we can be sure it must have been an awe-inspiring sight in its day.
