Mamenchisaurus or Sauroposeidon – Who was taller?

Does the extraordinary long neck make Mamenchisaurus the tallest dinosaur?

The limited upward movement of Mamenchisaurus's neck (Image Credit: Devrajan Goparaju)

According to evidence that we have, Mamenchisaurus and Sauroposeidon were sauropods. Mamenchisaurus was known for its extraordinary long neck which measured more than half of its body length. Despite having a very long neck, Mamenchisaurus was shorter than Sauroposeidon for two reasons – short legs and an inflexible neck joint. Compared to its neck, the legs were very short which did not contribute to its body height. Also, the joint connecting its neck to the vertebrae was not flexible which restricted upward movement of neck – limiting its height to about 11 meters. 

On the other hand, Sauroposeidon despite having a shorter neck had longer feet. Overall, it measured 18 meters and is known for its towering height.