When we think of dinosaurs, two main types spring to mind: the ferocious meat eaters like T-rex and Allosaurus, and the enormous, peaceful herbivores like Diplodocus. Many of these long necked dinosaurs - collectively known as sauropods - are thought to have moved in herds, travelling across the prehistoric plains and woodlands as they searched for juicy leaves to munch on. Here, we explore the top six long necked dinosaurs that roamed the planet.

1. Apatosaurus

Apatosaurus occupied the area we now know as North America. Its 6-metre long neck made up just under a third of its total 21-metre length, enabling it to browse vegetation that was out of reach of smaller herbivores. It’s thought to have been surprisingly agile for its size, capable of short bursts of speed when frightened.    

2. Diplodocus

Living alongside Apatosaurus in prehistoric North America was Diplodocus, a 26-metre long giant with an 8-metre long neck and an extremely long tail. Its neck was so long that for some time, scientists debated how the animal held it up. It’s now thought that Diplodocus had ligaments running from its hips and up through its vertebrae, enabling it to hold its neck horizontal. 

3. Brachiosaurus

Brachiosaurus lived in the Late Jurassic period, around 152-145 million years ago. Also wandering over North America, it had longer forelegs than its hindlegs, giving it an upward tilt to its body. This helped it to reach the leaves on tall trees, which it couldn’t chew so it swallowed them whole! At 22 metres long, this was a mid-sized sauropod with a neck length of around 9 metres. 

4. Giraffatitan

Another Late Jurassic dinosaur, Giraffatitan is one of the species featured in our dinosaur adventure live show. It lived in Tanzania in East Africa, it was slightly larger than Brachiosaurus, measuring 23 metres in length and 25 metres high. Its name means ‘titanic giraffe’, which it acquired due to its 10-metre long neck. 

5. Sauroposeidon

When Sauroposeidon was discovered in 1994, its vertebrae were so large that they were thought to be fossilised trees. This Early Cretaceous dinosaur lived between 118-110 million years ago in America, and had a neck that measured 12 metres long - over a third of its total body length. 
 

6. Mamenchisaurus

Discovered in China, Mamenchisaurus took neck length to a new level. Sporting a neck of up to 15 metres long, it holds the title of longest necked dinosaur ever found. While it towered above the landscape, it had a relatively small body and tail, meaning its neck made up around half of its total length. It must have looked a little like a periscope as it raised its head above the treetops to look around!

Discover dinosaurs live on stage

Don’t miss the chance to see some of the best children’s theatre in the UK this summer. Dinosaur World Live is touring the UK until 31 August 2025, delighting families with its stunning puppetry and fun facts. Discover Dinosaur World prices on your local theatre website and book tickets today for a prehistoric adventure you won’t forget!