Apatosaurus explained to kids

Apatosaurus is a genus of extinct sauropod dinosaurs that lived in North America during the Late Jurassic period. The name Apatosaurus comes from the Greek words "a," meaning "deceptive," and "patos," meaning "swift." The name was given to this dinosaur because its bones were originally thought to belong to a different, much smaller genus of dinosaur. Apatosaurus was one of the largest land animals to ever live, with some specimens reaching lengths of up to 70 feet (21 meters)! It had a long neck and tail, and a small head with tiny, sharp teeth. Its front legs were shorter than its hind legs, and it had five toes on each foot, with the innermost toe being the longest. Apatosaurus was a herbivore, which means it ate plants. It probably used its long neck and small head to reach up into trees to eat leaves. It also may have eaten lower-lying plants, using its sharp teeth to tear off pieces of leaves and stems. Apatosaurus probably lived in herds, as many fossil remains have been found of multiple individuals together. It is thought to have used its long tail as a weapon to swat at predators, such as the meat-eating Allosaurus. Apatosaurus was first discovered in 1877 by Othniel Charles Marsh. Since then, many fossil remains have been found, making it one of the best-known dinosaurs.