Brontosaurus determined to exist as distinct member of one of 15-18 Diplodocid dinosaur species

A team of paleontologists led by Emanuel Tschopp at the New University of Lisbon in Portugal has just completed a massive computer analysis of fossils in a group of dinosaurs called Diplodocids. They found that Brontosaurus are its own group. Its fossils share distinct, incomparable bone features—enough for it to reclaim its iconic genus name.

A specimen-level phylogenetic analysis and taxonomic revision of Diplodocidae (Dinosauria, Sauropoda)

According to Tschopp, there are seven specific bone differences that make the body of the original Brontosaurus its own species and genus, not just some other big dino that's been mislabeled. Most of are rather subtle, including facts like this: The tail vertebrae in dinosaurs related to Brontosaurus have spiny prominences called "neural spines," he says, "and for most of these dinosaurs these spines project kind of backwards, but in Brontosaurus they're more straight up." Brontosaurus's hips are unusual, with two bones (the ilium and pubis) meeting a curious junction. And its lower leg fibula meets its ankle bones in an equally unusual manner. Like we said, we're talking about subtle differences. But these are the differences that make a species.


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