Jurassic
Dracopelta
Dracopelta zbyszewskii
The catalogue presents Dracopelta as a herbivore member of Nodosauridae that lived during the Jurassic, between 150.8–145.0 Ma. Its estimated range is 2.0 m in length and 100–200 kg in mass, giving a practical sense of scale. Reference material comes from Lourinhã Formation, Portugal. Size and mass are approximations and may change with new fossils or methods.
Evidence-backed summary
For Dracopelta, the PBDB records the taxonomic attribution as Galton (1980).
The PBDB places it in Ankylosauria, and the catalogue record assigns it to the family Nodosauridae.
- PBDB · taxon.parent
- Nodosauridae
In the PBDB record, the reported stratigraphic range is the Tithonian.
The PBDB catalogues 1 occurrence, with material from the Freixial Formation (1). Provenance: Portugal.
The catalogue records the holotype as MG 8831 and the type locality as “Lourinhã Formation, Portugal”.
- MG 8831
- Lourinhã Formation, Portugal
The catalogue's reference measurements are 2.0 m in length and 100–200 kg in mass — estimates, which vary with specimen and method.
- 2.0 m
- 100-200 kg
The record gathers 8 bibliographic references registered in the PBDB, listed below.
Where it lived
Fossil occurrences on today’s map and in the tectonic reconstruction.
Positions reconstructed by PBDB/GPlates, not observed; this is not an exact habitat map.
Artistic 3D reconstruction
There is no approved species-specific 3D model yet. Generic anatomy will not be presented as if it were evidence.
Physical Specifications
- Length
- 2.0 m
- Weight
- 100–200 kg
- Period
- Jurassic
- Time range
- 150.8–145.0 Ma
Discovery Information
- First Discovery
- 1980
- Described by
- Galton
Taxonomic Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Reptilia
- Order
- Ornithischia
- Family
- Nodosauridae
- Genus
- Dracopelta
- Species
- D. zbyszewskii
Data status
Taxonomic name matched to PBDB and checked on 2026-08-08.
Taxonomic linkage does not automatically validate size, mass, behaviour or appearance.
- Type specimen
- MG 8831
- Type locality
- Lourinhã Formation, Portugal