Dacentrurus

†Dacentrurus is an extinct stegosaurid dinosaur from the Late Jurassic of Portugal and England, regarded as one of the largest stegosaurs. This heavily built herbivore bore two rows of alternating plates and robust spines along its back and thagomizer tail. It is among the earliest well-known stegosaurs, shedding light on European ornithischian evolution.

Diet & Feeding

Herbivore

Dacentrurus was a plant-eating dinosaur. Herbivores typically fed on ferns, cycads, conifers, and other vegetation available during their era. Many herbivorous dinosaurs developed specialized teeth and digestive systems for processing tough plant material.

Time Period

Jurassic Late Mesozoic Era

Dacentrurus lived during the Jurassic Late period of the Mesozoic Era, approximately 161.5 to 145.0 million years ago.

One of the most iconic periods for dinosaurs. Giant sauropods like Brachiosaurus and Diplodocus roamed alongside predators like Allosaurus. Archaeopteryx, the earliest known bird, appeared. The Morrison Formation preserves an extraordinary fossil record from this time.