New Diplodocus Model – Carnegie Museum Collection

In 1898 Andrew Carnegie, the Scottish born businessman reputed to have amassed one of the largest personal fortunes of all time, read an article about the amazing dinosaur finds being unearthed in the western USA.  He decided to financially support the efforts of these scientists and funded an expedition to Wyoming to find a dinosaur for the city of Pittsburgh.  This enthusiasm from one of the world’s most successful tycoons helped build up the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, permitting it to have one of the largest collections of natural wonders and rare fossil exhibits.

Diplodocus carnegii

Carnegie funded the building of the dinosaur hall at the museum, it needed to be a substantial project as it was soon to house an almost complete fossil skeleton of a Diplodocus.  This dinosaur was named and described in honour of Carnegie’s philanthropy, this species full name is D. carnegii.  This magnificent 87 foot long specimen is affectionately known as “Dippy”.  Copies have been cast and presented to a number of other Natural History museums around the world, including the Natural History museum, London where the cast of “Dippy” graces the main entrance hall.

New Diplodocus Dinosaur Model

Now the Carnegie Dinosaur Collection has been updated with a new model version of Diplodocus.  The new model of this late Jurassic herbivore is a fraction short of 60 cm long, depicting this huge animal in superb detail.  The controversial spines running down the back of the animal are gone, this contrasts this new model with the Natural History museum collection which depicts Diplodocus in battleship grey with a line of spines running from the hips down over the tail.

New Scale Model of Diplodocus

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

To view the new model: Diplodocus Models and Dinosaur Figures.

A New Interpretation of a Famous Sauropod

This new interpretation of this famous sauropod shows Diplodocus with contrasting colouration around the head, perhaps an indicator of social rank within the herd or male dominance.  Facial colouration such as this may well have helped maintain a hierarchy within a group of these animals.  The skin is dotted with scutes, small dermal armour but the spines have not been shown in contrast to the Natural History museum collection’s model.

The Natural History Museum Diplodocus

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur