Prehistoric North America housed some of the largest dinosaurs to roam the planet. Tower sauropods and huge theropods dominated the landscape with their massive size. The giant lizards thrived all across the country and left their mark during the Mesozoic Era. Here are some of the largest dinosaurs to ever walk North American soil.
Alamosaurus
Alamosaurus lived in what is now Texas and New Mexico. The massive sauropod weighed around 38 tons and was 85 feet tall. It grazed on vegetation and would live in herds as they traveled across the landscape searching for food.
Supersaurus
Supersaurus dwarfed alamosaurus, weighing a whopping 50 tons and growing up to 110 feet long. Its exceptional weight and length are due to a very long tail and neck. They lived in prehistoric North American woodlands, which are in Colorado today. They’d use their long necks to reach vegetation on trees.
Sauroposeidon
Sauroposeidon lived in the Cretaceous period in what is Texas and Oklahoma today. These behemoths were 60 feet tall and could easily measure 100 feet long. Their population thrived in woodlands and river deltas, where they used their height to graze from treetops.
Diplodocus
Diplodocus was another Jurassic sauropod living in the floodplains of western North America. It would eat vegetation on the ground and had a lightweight build compared to other sauropods, being 90 feet long with a nearly 30-foot tail.
Brachiosaurus
Brachiosaurus had a unique build, having a long neck, almost like a giraffe. They could reach around 50 feet tall and lived in the Late Jurassic period. They lived in North America’s forests and would graze on treetop foliage where there was little competition from other grazers. They have one of the most iconic fossil profiles.
Camarasaurus
Camarasaurus fossils have been found in North America’s Morrison Formation and lived during the Late Jurassic. The giant sauropod had thick teeth evolved for chewing hard vegetation and measured an enormous 75 feet in length.
Ornithomimosaurs
In Eastern North America, there lived an ostrich-like dinosaur called Ornithomimosaur. Some of these species could weigh nearly 2,000 pounds. They were some of the largest theropods during this time, and had long legs that helped them escape predators and traverse the environment with ease.
Tyrannosaurus Rex
Tyrannosaurus Rex may be the most recognizable and famous dinosaur to have ever lived. They were an apex predator in the Late Cretaceous and could weigh up to nine tones and be 40 feet long. Their hunting grounds were much of Western North America, where they dwelled in the forests and floodplains.
Edmontosaurus
Edmontosaurus was a hadrosaur that could be up to 40 feet long. It was herbivore around during the Late Cretaceous and lived in the floodplains in North America. They had a unique duck-billed snout and would graze on a wide variety of vegetation.
Triceratops
Triceratops is another iconic dinosaur that lived during the Late Cretaceous alongside the T-rex. The herbivore had a thick hide and horns to defend itself. They were one of the biggest ceratopsians at around 30 feet long and could weigh over six tons.
Dilophosaurus
Dilophosaurus lived in the Early Jurassic period and could measure 23 feet long and weigh nearly 2000 pounds. It had a unique crest on its head and was one of the largest predators to ever live. They have a slender build and razor-sharp teeth, adapting to chasing down prey. They lived in what is now Arizona.
Lokiceratops
Lokiceratops is a somewhat recent discovery. It lived around 80 million years ago and could be found roaming the state of modern-day Montana. They were one of the largest horned dinosaurs at the time and had horns designed not only for practicality in defense but also for display.
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