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Comparing the Sizes of Dinosaurs in the Lost World
When dinosaurs inhabited the Earth over 66 million years ago, their sizes and species varied dramatically.
While geological evidence is far from complete, fossil evidence suggests that the largest dinosaurs were comparable to the length of a Boeing 737 or the weight of 12 elephants. Meanwhile, the smallest were similar to the size of a chicken or bird.
In this infographic from Giulia De Amicis we compare the sizes of dinosaurs to get a sense of their vast scale and diversity.
Sizes of Dinosaurs Compared to Modern Day Life
Towering as high as 39 meters, the Argentinosaurus or ‘Argentina lizard’ is currently thought to be the largest dinosaur ever discovered. It was a sauropod, a subgroup of dinosaurs with very long necks and long tails, four wide legs for support, and relatively smaller heads.
In 1987, its bones were unearthed in the Patagonia region of Argentina, a destination well-known for prehistoric fossils. For comparison’s sake, the length of the Argentinosaurus is as high as a 13-story building.
| Name | Length (Meters) | Length (Feet) |
|---|---|---|
| Argentinosaurus | 39 m | 128 ft |
| Blue Whale | 30 m | 98 ft |
| Brachiosaurus | 26 m | 85 ft |
| Diplodocus | 26 m | 85 ft |
| Barosaurus | 24 m | 79 ft |
| Spinosaurus | 15 m | 49 ft |
| Tyrannosaurus rex | 12 m | 30 ft |
| Iguanodon | 10 m | 33 ft |
| Baryonyx | 10 m | 33 ft |
| Triceratops | 9 m | 30 ft |
| African Elephant | 7 m | 23 ft |
| Human | 1.8 (Read more…) |