Apatosaurus and Brontosaurus were originally thought to be different dinosaurs, but their story is a bit more complex. **Apatosaurus** was named first, in 1877, by paleontologist Othniel Charles Marsh. A few years later, in 1879, Marsh discovered another set of fossils that he thought belonged to a new species, which he named **Brontosaurus**. However, it was later determined that the Brontosaurus fossils were actually from a species of Apatosaurus. For many years, Brontosaurus was considered a misidentified Apatosaurus and was not recognized as a separate genus. However, in 2015, a detailed study of dinosaur fossils led by Emanuel Tschopp concluded that Brontosaurus was distinct enough from Apatosaurus to be considered a separate genus again. So, while they were once considered the same, today **Apatosaurus** and **Brontosaurus** are recognized as closely related but distinct dinosaurs.
Apatosaurus and Brontosaurus are now separate species of dinosaurs.
Apatosaurus and Brontosaurus were originally thought to be different dinosaurs, but their story is a bit more complex.
**Apatosaurus** was named first, in 1877, by paleontologist Othniel Charles Marsh. A few years later, in 1879, Marsh discovered another set of fossils that he thought belonged to a new species, which he named **Brontosaurus**. However, it was later determined that the Brontosaurus fossils were actually from a species of Apatosaurus.
For many years, Brontosaurus was considered a misidentified Apatosaurus and was not recognized as a separate genus. However, in 2015, a detailed study of dinosaur fossils led by Emanuel Tschopp concluded that Brontosaurus was distinct enough from Apatosaurus to be considered a separate genus again.
So, while they were once considered the same, today **Apatosaurus** and **Brontosaurus** are recognized as closely related but distinct dinosaurs.