Eupneumosaurus

Eupneumosaurus is a genus of sauropod dinosaur that lived during the Late Jurassic period, approximately 155 to 150 million years ago. It is known from a single species, Eupneumosaurus bauri, which was discovered in the Morrison Formation of Colorado, USA. The genus name, Eupneumosaurus, means "well-ventilated lizard," referring to the large nasal openings in the skull. The specific name, bauri, honors the paleontologist George Baur.

Eupneumosaurus is a relatively small sauropod, with an estimated length of around 15 meters (49 feet) and a weight of about 10 tons. It had a long neck and tail, and its limbs were relatively short compared to other sauropods. The skull was large and robust, with a distinctive crest on the snout. The nasal openings were large and positioned high on the skull, allowing for efficient breathing.

The diet of Eupneumosaurus is thought to have consisted mainly of low-growing vegetation, as it lacked the specialized adaptations for browsing on high trees found in some other sauropods. Its small size and relatively short limbs suggest that it may have been a fast-moving dinosaur, capable of outrunning predators.

Eupneumosaurus is one of the few sauropods known from the Late Jurassic period, providing valuable insights into the evolution of these giant dinosaurs. Its discovery has helped to fill a gap in the fossil record and has contributed to our understanding of the diversity of sauropod dinosaurs during the Jurassic period.