The dinosaur species Mamenchisaurus sinocanadorum lived in what is now East Asia and other parts of the world more than 160 million years ago and is believed to be the new record holder for neck length. The neck of adult specimens could be 15 meters long, reports a team led by paleontologist Andrew Moore from Stony Brook University in New York Journal of Systematic Palaeontology. This corresponds to the length of about six giraffes’ necks.
Fossil remains of the animals were discovered in China in 1987. Although only a small number of bones were found, researchers have now been able to reconstruct the size and appearance of Mamenchisaurus sinocanadorum using complete skeletons of closely related dinosaurs. The extremely long neck made up about half of the total length of the animals. Their skull was very small in relation to their body.
Using computed tomography, the scientists found that the giants, like many birds, had hollow vertebrae. The animals also had neck ribs about four meters long, which provided stability – but also made the neck rather immobile. According to researchers, the dinosaurs could not raise themselves up like giraffes.