brachiosaurids

Brachiosaurids are a family of sauropod dinosaurs within the larger group Titanosauriformes. They lived during the Late Jurassic, and the best‑known members include Brachiosaurus from North America and Giraffatitan from Africa (the latter long famous from Tendaguru).

Brachiosaurids are distinguished by forelimbs that are longer than their hindlimbs, a tall shoulder height, and a relatively small skull with the nares positioned high on the skull. Their bodies were massive and supported by columnar limbs, and their long necks allowed a high, sprawling feeding posture. They were quadrupedal herbivores.

Fossils of brachiosaurids are primarily from the Late Jurassic, roughly 150–160 million years ago. Known remains come from North America and Africa, with additional material reported from parts of Europe. The two best‑documented genera are Brachiosaurus and Giraffatitan, the latter represented by well‑preserved specimens from Tanzania.

Ecologically, brachiosaurids are interpreted as high‑browsing herbivores that could access vegetation above the reach of shorter sauropods. Taxonomically, the group has undergone several revisions as new fossils are discovered and re‑analyzed; some species previously assigned to Brachiosaurus have been reassigned to Giraffatitan or other genera, reflecting ongoing changes in sauropod classification.