A herbivorous dinosaur found in the Late Jurassic period of western North America, from strata dating back approximately 156 to 146 million years ago. It is classified as a Saurischian, Sauropoda, Neosauropoda, Diplodocoidea, and Diplodocidae. It was a gigantic quadrupedal sauropod with a total length of 22 meters and a weight of 30 to 35 tons. It had an extremely small head and brain considering its long neck, short and thick vertebrae, and long tail with 82 caudal vertebrae. The bones of its neck and chest are light with many hollow parts, but are structured to withstand pressure and tension, and the bones below the line connecting the waist and shoulders are solid and heavy. It was once thought that it lived in coastal marshes and wetlands and preferred to go into the water, but since the 1960s it is believed to have mainly lived on land. It was previously called Brontosaurus , but it was discovered to be the same genus as a species previously described as Apatosaurus, and Apatosaurus became valid due to priority in naming rules. The name "Brontosaurus" is said to come from the bones of animals killed by the god of thunder who fell with lightning in Native American folklore, or because it was so huge that it made thunder-like rumblings as it walked. [Ikuo Obata] [References] |Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend |
北アメリカ西部のジュラ紀後期、約1億5600万年~1億4600万年前の地層から産出した草食恐竜。分類学上は竜盤目竜脚形類(亜目)竜脚類(下目)ネオサウロポッド類Neosauropoda(新竜脚類)ディプロドクス上科Diplodocoideaディプロドクス科Diplodocidaeに属する。全長22メートル、体重30~35トンと巨大な四肢歩行の竜脚類。長い頸(くび)、短く太い脊柱(せきちゅう)、82個もの尾椎(びつい)からなる長い尾のわりには極端に小さな頭と脳しかもたなかった。頸と胸の骨は空洞部分が多くて軽いけれども圧力や張力に耐える構造で、腰と肩をつなぐ線より下は骨がどっしりと重い。かつては、沿岸の沼沢地や湿地にすみ、好んで水中に入ったという説がとられたが、1960年代以降は、陸上での生活を主としたと考えられている。以前はブロントサウルスBrontosaurusとよばれたこともあったが、それより前にアパトサウルスとして記載されていた属種と同一属であることが判明したので、命名規約の先取権によりアパトサウルスが有効となった。「ブロントサウルス」という名は、アメリカ先住民の伝承にある、雷とともに落ちてきた雷神が蹴(け)殺した動物の骨に由来する属名とも、巨大であったため雷のような地響きをたてて歩いたためともいわれた。 [小畠郁生] [参照項目] |出典 小学館 日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について 情報 | 凡例 |
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