Cretaceous
Sauropelta
Sauropelta edwardsorum
The catalogue presents Sauropelta as a herbivore member of Nodosauridae that lived during the Cretaceous, between 110.0–105.0 Ma. Its estimated range is 5.0–7.5 m in length and 1.5–3.0 t in mass, giving a practical sense of scale. Reference material comes from Cloverly Formation, Montana, USA. Size and mass are approximations and may change with new fossils or methods.
Evidence-backed summary
For Sauropelta, the PBDB records the taxonomic attribution as Ostrom (1970).
The PBDB places it in Nodosauridae, and the catalogue record assigns it to the family Nodosauridae.
- PBDB · taxon.parent
- Nodosauridae
In the PBDB record, the reported stratigraphic range runs from the Aptian to the Cenomanian.
The PBDB catalogues 22 occurrences, with material from the Cloverly Formation (22). Provenance: United States.
The catalogue records the holotype as AMNH 3032 and the type locality as “Cloverly Formation, Montana, USA”.
- AMNH 3032
- Cloverly Formation, Montana, USA
The catalogue's reference measurements are 5.0–7.5 m in length and 1.5–3.0 t in mass — estimates, which vary with specimen and method.
- 5.0-7.5 m
- 1.5-3.0 tons
The record gathers 46 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
- 5.0–7.5 m
- Weight
- 1.5–3.0 t
- Period
- Cretaceous
- Time range
- 110.0–105.0 Ma
Discovery Information
- First Discovery
- 1970
- Described by
- John Ostrom
Taxonomic Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Reptilia
- Order
- Ornithischia
- Family
- Nodosauridae
- Genus
- Sauropelta
- Species
- S. edwardsorum
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
- AMNH 3032
- Type locality
- Cloverly Formation, Montana, USA