answersLogoWhite

0

The brontosaurus was my favorite dinosaur, so it came as a bit of a shock to me to learn that it really didn't exist. A fellow named O.C. Marsh found a skeleton of an already-named animal called "Apatosaurus," but it was missing its head. To make a better-looking display for the Peabody Museum, he fitted it with the head of another creature called "Camarasaurus" and named the resulting chimera "Brontosaurus."

Since Apatosaurus contributed most of the skeleton, many books identify the creature as "Apatosaurus, formerly called Brontosaurus" but that's not strictly correct.

User Avatar

Wiki User

12y ago

What else can I help you with?

Related Questions

When was the brontosaurus discovered?

Brontosaurus was discovered by Othniel Charles Marsh in 1879. Two years before, however, he discovered Apatosaurus ajax. It turns out that Brontosaurus belonged to the same genus as Apatosaurus ajax, so the name Brontosaurus isn't valid. Brontosaurus is now called Apatosaurus excelsus.


What year was the brontosaurus found in?

Brontosaurus was discovered by Othniel Charles Marsh in 1879. Two years before, however, he discovered Apatosaurus ajax. It turns out that Brontosaurus belonged to the same genus as Apatosaurus ajax, so the name Brontosaurus isn't valid. Brontosaurus is now called Apatosaurus excelsus.


Who named the brontosaurus?

Othniel Charles Marsh discovered one species of Apatosaurus, and named it Apatosaurus ajax. When he discovered Apatosaurus excelsus, though, he assigned it to its own genus, Brontosaurus. Later it was found that both Brontosaurus and Apatosaurus ajax belonged to the same genus, so Brontosaurus was reassigned to Apatosaurus excelsus.


Who discovered the apatosaurus?

Othniel Charles Marsh discovered one species of Apatosaurus, and named it Apatosaurus ajax. When he discovered Apatosaurus excelsus, though, he assigned it to its own genus, Brontosaurus. Later it was found that both Brontosaurus and Apatosaurus ajax belonged to the same genus, so Brontosaurus was reassigned to Apatosaurus excelsus.


What is an interesting fact about brontosaurus?

Brontosaurus was discovered two years after Apatosaurus ajax. It was assigned to its own genus, but it was later found that Brontosaurus belonged to the same genus as Apatosaurus ajax. Thus, the name Brontosaurus is invalid, and now it is called Apatosaurus excelsus.


Why was the brontosaurus special?

A dinosaur named the Apatosaurus was discovered, documented, and named. Afterwards, another dinosaur was found, documented, and named the Brontosaurus. Years later, it was reaalized that the Brontosaurus was really an Apatosaurus, and it is not another genus.


Who named the apatosaurus?

Othniel Charles Marsh discovered one species of Apatosaurus, and named it Apatosaurus ajax. When he discovered Apatosaurus excelsus, though, he assigned it to its own genus, Brontosaurus. Later it was found that both Brontosaurus and Apatosaurus ajax belonged to the same genus, so Brontosaurus was reassigned to Apatosaurus excelsus.


Why was aptosaurus used to be called brontosaurus?

Othniel Charles Marsh discovered a species of Apatosaurus in 1877, and he named it Apatosaurus ajax. Two years later, he discovered another species of Apatosaurus. Marsh didn't realize that they both belonged to the same genus, though, so he named the new species Brontosaurus excelsus. When it was determined that Brontosaurus excelsus was actually a species of Apatosaurus, its name was changed to Apatosaurus excelsus.


Was Marie Curie a scientist?

yes, she is a scientist and discovered radiation.


What scientist discovered the black death?

in 1894, a Swiss scientist, Alexander Yersin discovered the bacteria that caused it, Yersinia Pestis


How large is the brontosaurus?

Brontosaurus is an invalid name for Apatosaurus excelsius. Apatosaurus excelsus was 75 feet long, 15 feet tall to the highest point on the back, and weighed between 18 and 25 tons.


Who are the Filipino and foreign scientist who discovered electricity?

Filipino and foreign scientist