Upon further study, scientists soon realized the similarities between the Brontosaurus and the Apatosaurus.
Even after scientists made Apatosaurus the official name,
Brontosaurus was still most popular and widely used.
In 1877, Marsh discovered an incomplete
skeleton for a new type of dinosaur which he named the Apatosaurus.
Even though the name Brontosaurus was more widely known
and used, it remains merely a synonym of the Apatosaurus.
However, the latest research
indicates this lifestyle is not accurate, and the Apatosaurus is considered a land dwelling animal.
The Apatosaurus had a long,
whip-like tail which is presumed to be its most effective means of defense against predators.
Although Apatosaurus is considered to be the official scientific name,
Brontosaurus and Apatosaurus are merely two different names for the same dinosaur.
Although many scientists questioned the validity of the Apatosaurus/Brontosaurus skull,
it wasn't until the 1970s that two scientists managed to prove it.
Based on the rules that govern the scientific naming of animals,
scientists kept Apatosaurus as the official name of the species because it was published first.
The huge herbivore was described in 1879, but in 1903 researchers decided that the dinosaur was not a separate genus,
but fell under the Apatosaurus, which had already been discovered in 1877.