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Brachiosauridae (brachiosaurid)

Reptilia - Brachiosauridae

Taxonomy
Brachiosauridae was named by Riggs (1904).

It was synonymized subjectively with Morosauridae by Charig (1967), Swinton (1970) and Bonaparte (1978); it was synonymized subjectively with Camarasauridae by Steel (1970).

It was assigned to Opisthocoelia by Riggs (1904); to Bothrosauropodidae by Huene (1948); to Cetiosauria by Colbert (1964); to Saurischia by Madsen and Miller (1979); to Sauropoda by Bakker (1986); to Bothrosauropodoidea by Kuhn (1966), Dong (1990) and Zhao (1993); to Neosauropoda by Upchurch (1995) and Upchurch (1995); to Titanosauroidea by Upchurch (1997); to Sauropoda by Molnar (1992) and McIntosh (1997); to Titanomorpha by Sereno (1997); to Sauropoda by Huene (1927), Swinton (1936), Romer (1956), Romer (1966), Reig (1970), Galton (1977), Ostrom (1980), Santafé et al. (1982), Russell (1984), Bonaparte (1986), Carroll (1988), McIntosh (1990), Benton (1990), Hunt et al. (1995) and Bonaparte (1999); to Sauropoda by Nopcsa (1928), Hay (1930), Roxo (1937), Lapparent (1947), Delair (1960), Parsch (1963), Tatarinov (1964), Delair (1973), Langston (1974), Bonaparte (1980) and Chure et al. (2006); to Camarasauromorpha by Moser et al. (2006); to Macronaria by Sereno et al. (1999), Mateus and Milàn (2010) and Mannion et al. (2013); and to Titanosauriformes by Sereno (1998), Wilson and Sereno (1998), Sereno (1999), Upchurch et al. (2004), Royo-Torres et al. (2006), Royo-Torres et al. (2007), Rose (2007), Taylor (2009), D'Emic (2012), D'Emic (2013), D'Emic et al. (2016), Mannion et al. (2017) and Apesteguía et al. (2021).

Synonyms
Synonymy list
YearName and author
1882Ornithopsis eucamerotus Hulke p. 375
1888Pleurocoelidae Marsh p. 92
1889Pleurocoelidae Dollo p. 677
1895Pleurocoelidae Marsh
1896Pleurocoelidae Marsh p. 242
1898Pleurocoelidae Marsh p. 158
1901Ornithopsis eucamerotus Nopcsa p. 206
1904Brachiosauridae Riggs
1908Ornithopsis eucamerotus Fraas p. 143
1927Brachiosauridae Huene p. 122
1928Brachiosauridae Nopcsa p. 184
1930Brachiosauridae Hay p. 197
1932Astrodontinae Huene p. 91
1936Brachiosauridae Swinton p. 209
1937Brachiosauridae Roxo p. 65
1946Astrodontinae Kuhn p. 66
1947Brachiosauridae Lapparent p. 17
1948Astrodontidae Huene p. 91
1948Brachiosauridae Huene p. 91
1956Brachiosauridae Romer p. 620
1958Astrodontidae Young p. 25
1959Astrodontidae Huene p. 121
1960Brachiosauridae Delair p. 81
1960Astrodontidae Lapparent p. 39
1963Brachiosauridae Parsch p. 4
1964Brachiosauridae Colbert p. 22 fig. 6
1964Brachiosauridae Tatarinov p. 547
1966Brachiosauridae Kuhn p. 98
1966Brachiosauridae Romer p. 370
1970Brachiosauridae Reig p. 279
1973Brachiosauridae Delair p. 4
1974Brachyosauridae Langston p. 82
1977Brachiosauridae Galton p. 230
1979Brachiosauridae Madsen and Miller p. 5
1980Brachiosauridae Bonaparte p. 82
1980Brachiosauridae Ostrom p. 22
1982Brachiosauridae Santafé et al. p. 85
1984Brachiosauridae Russell p. 28
1986Brachiosauridae Bakker p. 461
1986Brachiosauridae Bonaparte p. 255
1988Brachiosauridae Carroll
1990Brachiosauridae Benton p. 19
1990Brachiosauridae Dong
1990Brachiosauridae McIntosh p. 381
1992Brachiosauridae Molnar p. 265
1993Brachiosauridae Zhao p. 132
1995Brachiosauridae Hunt et al. p. 263
1995Brachiosauridae Upchurch p. 253
1997Brachiosauridae McIntosh p. 656
1997Brachiosauridae Sereno p. 444
1997Brachiosauridae Upchurch p. 82A
1998Brachiosauridae Sereno p. 63
1998Brachiosauridae Wilson and Sereno p. 54 fig. 44
1999Brachiosauridae Bonaparte pp. 149-150
1999Brachiosauridae Sereno p. 2138 fig. 2
1999Brachiosauridae Sereno et al. p. 1346 fig. 4
2004Brachiosauridae Upchurch et al. p. 267
2006Brachiosauridae Chure et al. p. 236
2006Brachiosauridae Moser et al. p. 45
2006Brachiosauridae Royo-Torres et al. p. 1926 fig. 3
2007Brachiosauridae Rose pp. 41-42 figs. 31-32
2007Brachiosauridae Royo-Torres et al. p. 185
2009Brachiosauridae Taylor p. 798
2010Brachiosauridae Mateus and Milàn p. 254
2012Brachiosauridae D'Emic
2013Brachiosauridae D'Emic
2013Brachiosauridae Mannion et al.
2016Brachiosauridae D'Emic et al.
2017Brachiosauridae Mannion et al.
2021Brachiosauridae Apesteguía et al.

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RankNameAuthor
kingdomAnimalia()
Bilateria
EubilateriaAx 1987
Deuterostomia
phylumChordataHaeckel 1874
subphylumVertebrata
superclassGnathostomata
Osteichthyes()
subclassSarcopterygii()
subclassDipnotetrapodomorpha(Nelson 2006)
subclassTetrapodomorpha()
Tetrapoda
Reptiliomorpha
Anthracosauria
subclassAmphibiosauriaKuhn 1967
Cotylosauria()
Amniota
Sauropsida
classReptilia
RankNameAuthor
subclassEureptilia()
Romeriida
Diapsida()
Archosauromorpha(Huene 1946)
Crocopoda
ArchosauriformesGauthier 1986
Eucrocopoda
Archosauria()
informalAvemetatarsalia
Ornithodira
Dinosauromorpha
Dinosauriformes
Dinosauria()
Saurischia()
Sauropoda()
Titanosauriformes
familyBrachiosauridae
familyBrachiosauridae

If no rank is listed, the taxon is considered an unranked clade in modern classifications. Ranks may be repeated or presented in the wrong order because authors working on different parts of the classification may disagree about how to rank taxa.

Fm. †Brachiosauridae Riggs 1904 [brachiosaurid]
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G. †Abydosaurus Chure et al. 2010
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Abydosaurus mcintoshi Chure et al. 2010
G. †Brachiosaurus Riggs 1903
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G. †Cedarosaurus Tidwell et al. 1999
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Cedarosaurus weiskopfae Tidwell et al. 1999
G. †Galvesaurus Barco et al. 2005 [Galve lizard]
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Galvesaurus herreroi Barco et al. 2005
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Invalid names: Galveosaurus herreroi Sánchez-Hernández 2005 [objective synonym]
G. †Giraffatitan Paul 1988
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Giraffatitan brancai Janensch 1914
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Invalid names: Brachiosaurus fraasi Janensch 1914 [synonym]
G. †Lusotitan Antunes and Mateus 2003
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Lusotitan atalaiensis Lapparent and Zbyszewski 1957
G. †Sonorasaurus Ratkevich 1998
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Sonorasaurus thompsoni Ratkevich 1998
G. †Soriatitan Royo-Torres et al. 2017
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Soriatitan golmayensis Royo-Torres et al. 2017
G. †Venenosaurus Tidwell et al. 2001
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Venenosaurus dicrocei Tidwell et al. 2001
G. †Vouivria Mannion et al. 2017
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Vouivria damparisensis Mannion et al. 2017
Invalid names: Astrodontidae Huene 1932 [synonym], Bellusaurinae Dong 1990 [empty], Brachiosaurinae Huene 1927 [empty], Camarasaurinae Nopcsa 1928 [empty], Euhelopodinae Romer 1956 [empty], Klamelisaurinae Zhao 1993 [empty], Ornithopsis eucamerotus Hulke 1882 [nomen dubium], Pleurocoelidae Marsh 1888 [synonym]
Diagnosis
ReferenceDiagnosis
B. F. Nopcsa 1928teeth strong; anterior limbs long
F. v. Huene 1948Presacrals with pleurocoela, but not so in caudals. Front leg equal or greater length than hind leg. Middle and Upper Jurassic.
F. v. Huene 1948 (Astrodontidae)In certain instances a much increased number of cervicals. Whole Cretaceous.
M. P. Taylor 2009Ratio of humerus:femur length ≥ 0.90 (character 206); centroprezygapophyseal lamina on middle and posterior dorsal vertebrae undivided at upper end (character 138); anterior dorsal vertebrae with long diapophyses (Janensch, 1950a:72); neural spines low in posterior dorsals, taller anteriorly (Janensch, 1950a:72); ilium with strongly developed anterior wing (Janensch, 1961:200); ilium with compressed pubic peduncle (Janensch, 1961:200); ratio of mediolateral:anteroposterior diameter of femur at midshaft ≥ 1.85 (character 284).
Measurements
No measurements are available
Composition: hydroxyapatiteinfrao
Entire body: yesinfrao
Adult length: 10 to < 100infrao
Adult width: 10 to < 100infrao
Adult height: 10 to < 100infrao
Maximum body mass: 30000 kgg
Minimum body mass: 10000 kgg
Thickness: thickinfrao
Architecture: compact or denseinfrao
Form: sphericalinfrao
Ontogeny: accretion, modification of partsinfrao
Grouping: gregariousinfrao
Environment: terrestrialinfrao
Locomotion: actively mobileinfrao
Life habit: ground dwellinginfrao
Diet: herbivoreinfrao
Reproduction: oviparousinfrao
Dispersal: direct/internalinfrao
Dispersal 2: mobileinfrao
Created: 2004-12-14 12:49:10
Modified: 2004-12-14 14:49:10
Source: g = genus, infrao = infraorder
References: Marsh 1875, Peczkis 1995

Age range: base of the Late/Upper Oxfordian to the top of the Cenomanian or 161.20000 to 93.90000 Ma

Collections (86 total)


Time interval Ma Country or state Original ID and collection number
Oxfordian163.5 - 157.3Tanzania (Lindi) Brachiosaurus brancai (48387 48388)
Middle Oxfordian - Late/Upper Oxfordian161.2 - 155.7France (Franche-Comté) Sauropoda indet. (85257)
Late/Upper Oxfordian - Early/Lower Kimmeridgian161.2 - 150.8USA (Wyoming) Brachiosaurus sp. (126540)
Kimmeridgian157.3 - 152.1USA (Wyoming) Brachiosauridae indet. (185607) Sauropoda indet. (46465)
Kimmeridgian - Tithonian157.3 - 145.0USA (Colorado) Brachiosaurus altithorax (56683) Brachiosaurus sp. (49623 56684)
Kimmeridgian - Tithonian157.3 - 145.0USA (Utah) Brachiosauridae indet. (96840) Brachiosaurus sp. (58514 96826)
Kimmeridgian - Tithonian157.3 - 145.0USA (Wyoming) Brachiosauridae indet. (58507) Brachiosaurus sp. (22648 207749) Sauropoda indet. (39253)
Early/Lower Kimmeridgian155.7 - 150.8Germany (Nordrhein-Westfalen) Brachiosaurus sp. (182492)
Late/Upper Kimmeridgian155.7 - 150.8Tanzania (Lindi) Brachiosaurus brancai (47146 47151 47153) Brachiosaurus fraasi (47148)
Late/Upper Kimmeridgian - Early/Lower Tithonian155.7 - 145.0USA (Colorado) Brachiosaurus sp. (28366 45975)
Late/Upper Kimmeridgian - Early/Lower Tithonian155.7 - 145.0Spain (Aragón) Camarasauridae indet. (53890)
Late/Upper Kimmeridgian - Early/Lower Tithonian155.7 - 145.0Portugal (Centro) Brachiosaurus sp. (47430)
Late/Upper Kimmeridgian - Tithonian155.7 - 145.0Tanzania (Lindi) Brachiosaurus brancai (48354 48370 48371 48378 48379 48380 48381 48382 48384) Sauropoda indet. (47147)
Late/Upper Kimmeridgian - Tithonian155.7 - 145.0USA (Colorado) Brachiosaurus sp. (231620)
Late/Upper Kimmeridgian - Tithonian155.7 - 145.0USA (Oklahoma) Brachiosaurus sp. (49338)
Tithonian152.1 - 145.0Tanzania (Lindi) Brachiosauridae indet. (47144) Brachiosaurus brancai (47123 47137 47141 47142 47143 47145 47156 47157 47159 47161 47182 48344 48345 48350 48358 48363 48364 48367 48374 48377 48385 97536 97537) Brachiosaurus sp., Brachiosaurus brancai (48349) Dinosauria indet. (121241) Sauropoda indet. (47158 48359)
Tithonian152.1 - 145.0Ethiopia (Amhara) Brachiosauridae indet. (203123)
Tithonian152.1 - 145.0Zimbabwe (Mashonaland North) Brachiosaurus sp. (49100)
Early/Lower Tithonian150.8 - 145.0USA (Colorado) Brachiosaurus sp. (71476)
Neocomian145.0 - 130.0Lebanon (Loubnan El-Janoubi) Brachiosauridae indet. (60453 60454)
Berriasian - Hauterivian145.0 - 129.4South Africa (Eastern Cape) Brachiosauridae indet. (174951)
Valanginian139.8 - 132.9USA (Utah) Cedarosaurus weiskopfae (48326) Venenosaurus sp., Brachiosauridae indet. (27025)
Late/Upper Hauterivian - Early/Lower Barremian136.4 - 125.45Spain (Castilla y Leon) Sauropoda indet. (59069)
Hauterivian - Barremian132.9 - 125.0United Kingdom (England) Ornithopsis eucamerotus (52576)
Late/Upper Barremian130.0 - 125.45Spain (Valenciana) Stegosauria indet. (61324)
Aptian125.0 - 113.0USA (Utah) Venenosaurus dicrocei (51919)
Aptian125.0 - 113.0Japan (Fukui) Brachiosauridae indet. (38020)
Aptian - Albian125.0 - 100.5USA (Utah) Brachiosauridae indet., Sauroposeidon sp. (55334)
Late/Upper Aptian122.46 - 112.03Niger (Agadez) Brachiosauridae indet. (77189)
Late/Upper Aptian122.46 - 112.03United Kingdom (England) Ornithopsis sp. (59354)
Early/Lower Albian112.03 - 109.0USA (Texas) Pleurocoelus sp. (52855)
Late/Upper Albian - Cenomanian105.3 - 93.9China (Jilin) Brachiosauridae indet. (221681)
Late/Upper Albian - Early/Lower Cenomanian105.3 - 93.5USA (Arizona) Sonorasaurus sp. (13105)
Early/Lower Cenomanian99.6 - 93.5USA (Utah) Abydosaurus mcintoshi (94550)
Early/Lower Cenomanian99.6 - 93.5France (Poitou-Charentes) Brachiosauridae indet. (77231)