Cedarosaurus Facts
| Diet | Herbivore |
| Height | 4m |
| Length | 14m |
| Weight | 15 tonnes |
| Environment | Land |
| Era | Cretaceous |
| Period | Early Cretaceous |
| Type | Sauropod |
| Location | United States |

| Diet | Herbivore |
| Height | 4m |
| Length | 14m |
| Weight | 15 tonnes |
| Environment | Land |
| Era | Cretaceous |
| Period | Early Cretaceous |
| Type | Sauropod |
| Location | United States |
Cedarosaurus was a massive sauropod dinosaur that roamed the landscapes of what is now Utah during the Early Cretaceous Period, approximately 137 to 113 million years ago. Named after the Cedar Mountain Formation where its fossils were discovered, this enormous plant-eater belonged to the same group as the famous Brachiosaurus, sharing many similar characteristics with its giant relatives.
What made Cedarosaurus particularly distinctive amongst sauropods was its prominent nasal crest, a bony ridge that ran along the top of its skull and nose. This feature, combined with its incredibly long neck that could stretch high into the canopy, made it perfectly adapted for browsing on tall conifers and ferns that dominated the Early Cretaceous forests. Like other sauropods, Cedarosaurus stood on four massive, pillar-like legs that supported its enormous body weight.
The discovery of Cedarosaurus in 1996 provided palaeontologists with valuable insights into sauropod diversity during the Early Cretaceous. Its fossils show remarkable similarities to Eucamerotus from England and Brachiosaurus from the American Morrison Formation, suggesting these giant herbivores had spread across much of the northern continents. Cedarosaurus would have lived alongside other dinosaurs including early tyrannosaurs and armoured ankylosaurs in the lush, warm environments of ancient Utah.
Cedarosaurus possessed a distinctive nasal crest running along its skull, giving it a unique profile amongst sauropods. Its neck was exceptionally long even by sauropod standards, and it had the characteristic high-shouldered build typical of brachiosaurids, with front legs longer than its back legs.
Cedarosaurus likely spent most of its time feeding, using its long neck to reach vegetation up to 15 metres above ground that other herbivores couldn't access. As a large sauropod, it probably lived in small herds for protection, with adults using their massive size and potentially their long tails as defence against predators.
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Saurischia |
| Family | Brachiosauridae |
| Genus | Cedarosaurus |
Cedarosaurus was first described by Virginia Tidwell, Kenneth Carpenter and William Brooks in 1999. The original fossils were discovered at Yellow Cat Member, Cedar Mountain Formation, Utah, USA.