Camarasauridae is a family of sauropods from the Late Jurassic of North America and Europe, distinguished from other long-necked dinosaurs of the period by a comparatively short, boxy skull with large external nostrils, spoon-shaped teeth, and a thick, robust jaw suited to processing tougher vegetation than the more selective feeding style of relatives like Diplodocus. Camarasaurids were medium to large by sauropod standards, generally 15 to 20 meters long, with proportionally shorter necks than brachiosaurids or diplodocids, and split (bifurcated) neural spines running along their vertebrae, a feature used to help identify family members from often fragmentary remains.
The type genus Camarasaurus, abundantly represented in North America's Morrison Formation, is among the most completely known sauropods, with multiple full skeletons -- including juveniles -- that have made it a key reference species for reconstructing sauropod anatomy and growth more broadly. Its nostril placement, set in front of the eyes rather than atop the skull as in brachiosaurids, has also informed research into how different sauropod lineages may have used smell and airflow differently. Camarasaurids likely fed at low to mid canopy height, occupying a distinct ecological niche alongside the taller-browsing and ground-level-grazing sauropods that shared their Jurassic ecosystems.