Diplodocus fossil map
Where fossils of Diplodocus have been found, shown on the Earth as it looked about 145 million years ago and on today’s map.
Dots are fossil collections recorded in the Paleobiology Database. The “then” view moves today’s fossil sites back to their positions 145 million years ago (the time slice nearest the median age of the fossils) using the Merdith et al. (2021) plate model; positions are approximate. Open on the timeline map →
| Group | Sauropods & prosauropods |
|---|---|
| Lived | 157.9–143.1 million years ago |
| Periods | Jurassic |
| Family | Diplodocidae |
| Named by | Marsh 1878 |
| Fossil records | 66 occurrences at 54 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | United States |
| Rock formations | Morrison |
About Diplodocus
Diplodocus (,, or ) is an extinct genus of diplodocid sauropod dinosaurs known from the Late Jurassic of North America and Europe. The first fossils of Diplodocus were discovered in 1877 by S. W. Williston. The generic name, coined by Othniel Charles Marsh in 1878, is a Neo-Latin term derived from Greek διπλός (diplos) "double" and δοκός (dokos) "beam", in reference to the double-beamed chevron bones located in the underside of the tail, which were then considered unique.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Diplodocus (revision 1380971146), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0; introduction excerpted verbatim, formatting removed. Ages, family, authority and fossil records: Paleobiology Database, accessed 22 October 2026. Ages are those of the rock layers the fossils were found in. Wikidata: Q14330.
