Dacentrurinae

†Dacentrurinae is an extinct subfamily of stegosaurid dinosaurs from the Late Jurassic of western Europe, with material known from Spain and Portugal. These herbivorous ornithischians bore alternating plates and spines along the back and tail. The subfamily represents one of the earliest and most basal stegosaurid lineages recognized from Gondwana-adjacent landmasses.

Diet & Feeding

Herbivore

Dacentrurinae 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

Dacentrurinae 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.