Jurassic
Brachiosaurus
Brachiosaurus altithorax
The catalogue presents Brachiosaurus as a herbivore member of Brachiosauridae that lived during the Jurassic, between 156.3–145.0 Ma. Its estimated range is 20.0–23.0 m in length and 28.3–58.0 t in mass, giving a practical sense of scale. Reference material comes from Morrison Formation, Colorado, USA. Size and mass are approximations and may change with new fossils or methods.
Evidence-backed summary
For Brachiosaurus, the PBDB records the taxonomic attribution as Riggs (1903).
The PBDB places it in Brachiosauridae, and the catalogue record assigns it to the family Brachiosauridae.
- PBDB · taxon.parent
- Brachiosauridae
The PBDB catalogues 2 occurrences, with material from the Morrison Formation (2). Provenance: United States.
The catalogue records the holotype as FMNH P 25107 and the type locality as “Morrison Formation, Colorado, USA”.
- FMNH P 25107
- Morrison Formation, Colorado, USA
The catalogue's reference measurements are 20.0–23.0 m in length and 28.3–58.0 t in mass — estimates, which vary with specimen and method.
- 20.0-23.0 m
- 28.3-58.0 tons
The record gathers 111 bibliographic references registered in the PBDB, listed below.
Where it lived
Fossil occurrences on today’s map and in the tectonic reconstruction.
Positions reconstructed by PBDB/GPlates, not observed; this is not an exact habitat map.
Artistic 3D reconstruction
There is no approved species-specific 3D model yet. Generic anatomy will not be presented as if it were evidence.
Physical Specifications
- Length
- 20.0–23.0 m
- Weight
- 28.3–58.0 t
- Period
- Jurassic
- Time range
- 156.3–145.0 Ma
Discovery Information
- First Discovery
- 1900
- Described by
- Elmer Riggs
Taxonomic Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Reptilia
- Order
- Saurischia
- Family
- Brachiosauridae
- Genus
- Brachiosaurus
- Species
- B. altithorax
Data status
Taxonomic name matched to PBDB and checked on 2026-08-08.
Taxonomic linkage does not automatically validate size, mass, behaviour or appearance.
- Type specimen
- FMNH P 25107
- Type locality
- Morrison Formation, Colorado, USA