Neck Posture and Feeding Habits of Two Jurassic Sauropod Dinosaurs

Abstract

Articulated digital reconstructions of two diplodocid sauropods revealed cervical poses and feeding envelopes. The necks of Diplodocus and Apatosaurus were nearly straight but gently declined such that the heads, which were themselves angled downward relative to the neck, were close to ground level in their neutral, undeflected posture. Both necks were less flexible than conventionally depicted, and Diplodocus was less capable of lateral and dorsal curvature than Apatosaurus. The results suggest that these sauropods were adapted to ground feeding or low browsing, contrary to the view that diplodocid sauropods were high browsers.