The Dacentrurus stegosaur is a genus of herbivorous stegosaurid dinosaurs that lived during the late Jurassic period. Originally, this dinosaur was called Omosaurus armatus by Owen in 1875. This large quadrupedal animal had two long low backbones and it was covered by bony plates or scales known as scutes (osteoderms). This dinosaur had two long spikes on its tail and relatively short arms, which may have been used for defense or to help it rise from a resting position. The Dacentrurus is known for many beautiful fossil specimens found in England due to the varied sedimentary rocks exposed there through quarrying operations. The Dacentrurus was an extremely tall species of Stegosaurus, similar in appearance but different than other members such as the Kentrosaurus. Stegosaurs have no evidence of predation on this animal nor any signs they had ever fought off predators themselves.The Dacentrurus was an interesting dinosaur. It grew up to 30 ft (9.1 m) long and weighed as much as a car! They lived in the Jurassic period around 165 million years ago, although fossils of them have been found all over Europe. So far, there are four different type species. The two type species we know of are the Dacentrurus armatus found in England and the Kentrosaurus aethiopicus from Tanzania! It had an unusual appearance at its rear end with large spikes, strong bones, and plates on it which made up about half of Dacentrurus’s body length. Despite being covered in armor plating, some paleontologists have hypothesized that since these defenses were only present on one-half unlike other dinosaurs such as the Ankylosaurus where they are spread across their entire bodies might mean they were used for display purposes rather than the defense from predators like Velociraptor or Allosaurus! Think how bulky and heavy this armor plating would make them!Find more exciting facts about the Berberosaurus and Orodromeus for kids.
Fun Dacentrurus Facts For Kids
What did they prey on? Fruits, trees, and plants
What did they eat? Herbivores
Average litter size? 9-16
How much did they weigh? 11,200 lb (5080.2 kg)
How long were they? 26 ft (8 m)
How tall were they? 23 ft (7 m)
What did they look like? Brown, reddish-brown, and greenish-gray
Skin Type Thick scaly
What were their main threats? Natural disasters
Where were they found? Open meadows, grasslands, and forests
Locations Europe, mainly England, Spain, France, and Portugal
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Stegosaurus
Class Clade: Dinosauria
Family Stegosauridae
Scientific Name Dacentrurus armatus
How scary were they? 3
How loud were they? 4
How intelligent were they? 4
Dacentrurus Interesting FactsHow do you pronounce ‘Dacentrurus’?Although many dinosaur enthusiasts may have thought that Dacentrurus pronunciation was ‘Dack-in-truss’, the official pronunciation has been much more difficult to determine. The name is meant to represent a large and powerful Thyreophoran (armor-plated) dinosaur, but ironically it’s one of only two definitively known species in this group whose names were actually coined by paleontology scientists who could not grasp the Dacentrurus pronunciation!What type of dinosaur was a Dacentrurus?A Dinosauria ornithischia is a type of Stegosaur from Stegosauridae, also known as the ‘roofed lizard’ and is an extinct genus that belongs to the family of dinosaurs called a stegosaur. It lived during the late Jurassic period almost 150-146 million years ago, and its fossils have been found in Europe and western North America by the paleontology department.In which geological period did the Dacentrurus roam the earth?The Omosaurus armatus of Stegosauridae is a large herbivorous stegosaur of the late Jurassic period, known for its distinctive double-spikes club tail.When did the Dacentrurus become extinct?The day of reckoning for Omosaurus armatus dinosaurs came in about 65 million years ago when an asteroid collided with the planet and ended up wiping them out completely.Where did a Dacentrurus live?When one thinks of the Jurassic period, one may think about dinosaurs like Dinosauria ornithischia. This stegosaur or dinosaur was discovered to live in London, Spain, and Portugal as well as all over Europe.What was a Dacentrurus’s habitat?The Dacentrurus stegosaurian, previously the Omosaurus armatus of Stegosauridae, lived in an environment with a lot of vegetation. They were herbivores that roamed the lower type land when they weren’t looking for water sources or nesting grounds, living among other dinosaurs and reptiles such as crocodiles, bats, fish, and birds.Who did a Dacentrurus live with?Dacentrurus armatus, an herbivorous stegosaurian dinosaur that existed in the Late Jurassic Period about 161-145 million years ago, is believed by some paleontology scientists to have lived alongside other lower type dinosaurs such as the Apatosaurus and Stegosaurus while others hypothesize it may have lived near large predators like the Allosaurus or Ceratosaurus due to its size.How long did a Dacentrurus live?Dinosauria ornithischia was a herbivore that may have lived for up to 30 years.How did they reproduce?Dacentrurus armatus, a large herbivorous stegosaurian dinosaur that lived during the Late Jurassic period (200-175 million years ago), mated with other Dacentruruses. Females then laid eggs and cared for them until they hatched into babies known as Dacentrurus hatchlings.Dacentrurus Fun FactsWhat did a Dacentrurus look like?This stegosaur (Dacentrurus armatus) was a dinosaur, one of the largest dinosaurs in existence. It had two large back feet and four smaller front ones. Its tail also probably supported its weight by balancing it while standing or walking upright on all four lower hoofs like other sauropods such as the Apatosaurus (Brontosaurus). This Dinosauria Ornithischia was a large, quadrupedal herbivore from the Late Jurassic period. These stegosaurs had two small sharp horns and plates on their tall and narrow skull, which they used to defend themselves against predators.How many bones did a Dacentrurus have?Around 200 - 220! These were some very interesting creatures who roamed London during the Jurassic period around 150 million years ago and ate plants for their meals rather than meat compared with other dinosaurs at this time, such as the Tyrannosaurus rex or Allosaurus.How did they communicate?Dacentrurus or Omosaurus dinosaurs communicated with each other through vibrations created by their tail. The long tail of Dacetruruses allowed them to easily knock into one another and send signals back-and-forth about who they were, whether or not there was food nearby, and if the area that they were in felt safe enough for mating purposes.How big was a Dacentrurus?The Dacentrurus size was moderate! The Omosaurus dinosaur had an average length of 26 ft (8 m), and the Dacentrurus height was around 23 ft (7 m)!How fast could a Dacentrurus move?The Omosaurus or Dacentrurus dinosaur king was a slow-moving dinosaur from Spain and London. This creature is estimated to have been able to move at about 2 mph (3.2 kph) on average, making it one of the slowest dinosaurs in history if true.How much did a Dacentrurus weigh?On average, the Dacentrurus weight was around 11,200 lb (5080.2 kg)!What were the male and female names of the species?There are no sex-specific terms for this dinosaur species, both go by the name Dacentrurus armatus!What would you call a baby Dacentrurus?These dinosaur babies go by the name baby Dacentrurus.What did they eat?The Dacentrurus full scientific name is Dancentrurus armatus, a type of cretaceous herbivorous Stegosauria dinosaur from the late Jurassic period in England and Spain. This dinosaur was known for eating fruits and plants. It is believed that Dacentsuruses ate more than just fruit as they are known to have eaten trees too, supporting their existence in forests.How aggressive were they?There has been a lot of debate surrounding the aggression levels in cretaceous Stegosauria dinosaur species due to their small tail with spikes. However, it is generally believed that they behaved more like modern-day cows rather than being predatory or even defensive animals.Did you know…A dinosaur known as Dacentrurus is famous among children, and they love to read about it.What was the Dacentrurus’s previous name?The Dacentrurus armatus type species dinosaur, earlier known as Omosaurus, was a quadrupedal herbivore with strong legs and hips. It was first called Omosaurus armatus by Owen in 1875, but Omosaurus had been used for a crocodile.Did Dacentrurus have sharp teeth?The Dacentrurus armatus dinosaur of England and Spain must have had sharp teeth to eat all of the vegetation it could find. Dacentrurus may not have been the biggest or strongest dinosaur in terms of muscles on the tail, but it had a size advantage over many other predators at the time!Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly dinosaur facts for everyone to discover! For more relatable facts, check out these Crichtonsaurus facts, or Brontosaurus facts for kids.You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable Dacentrurus coloring pages.Second image by N.Cayla.
How do you pronounce ‘Dacentrurus’?
Although many dinosaur enthusiasts may have thought that Dacentrurus pronunciation was ‘Dack-in-truss’, the official pronunciation has been much more difficult to determine. The name is meant to represent a large and powerful Thyreophoran (armor-plated) dinosaur, but ironically it’s one of only two definitively known species in this group whose names were actually coined by paleontology scientists who could not grasp the Dacentrurus pronunciation!
Fun Dacentrurus Facts For Kids
What did they prey on? Fruits, trees, and plants
What did they eat? Herbivores
Average litter size? 9-16
How much did they weigh? 11,200 lb (5080.2 kg)
How long were they? 26 ft (8 m)
How tall were they? 23 ft (7 m)
What did they look like? Brown, reddish-brown, and greenish-gray
Skin Type Thick scaly
What were their main threats? Natural disasters
Where were they found? Open meadows, grasslands, and forests
Locations Europe, mainly England, Spain, France, and Portugal
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Stegosaurus
Class Clade: Dinosauria
Family Stegosauridae
Scientific Name Dacentrurus armatus
How scary were they? 3
How loud were they? 4
How intelligent were they? 4
Fun Dacentrurus Facts For Kids
What did they prey on? Fruits, trees, and plants
What did they eat? Herbivores
Average litter size? 9-16
How much did they weigh? 11,200 lb (5080.2 kg)
How long were they? 26 ft (8 m)
How tall were they? 23 ft (7 m)
What did they look like? Brown, reddish-brown, and greenish-gray
Skin Type Thick scaly
What were their main threats? Natural disasters
Where were they found? Open meadows, grasslands, and forests
Locations Europe, mainly England, Spain, France, and Portugal
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Stegosaurus
Class Clade: Dinosauria
Family Stegosauridae
Scientific Name Dacentrurus armatus
How scary were they? 3
How loud were they? 4
How intelligent were they? 4
Fun Dacentrurus Facts For Kids
What did they prey on? Fruits, trees, and plants
What did they eat? Herbivores
Average litter size? 9-16
How much did they weigh? 11,200 lb (5080.2 kg)
How long were they? 26 ft (8 m)
How tall were they? 23 ft (7 m)
What did they look like? Brown, reddish-brown, and greenish-gray
Skin Type Thick scaly
What were their main threats? Natural disasters
Where were they found? Open meadows, grasslands, and forests
Locations Europe, mainly England, Spain, France, and Portugal
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Stegosaurus
Class Clade: Dinosauria
Family Stegosauridae
Scientific Name Dacentrurus armatus
How scary were they? 3
How loud were they? 4
How intelligent were they? 4
Fun Dacentrurus Facts For Kids
What did they prey on? Fruits, trees, and plants
What did they eat? Herbivores
Average litter size? 9-16
How much did they weigh? 11,200 lb (5080.2 kg)
How long were they? 26 ft (8 m)
How tall were they? 23 ft (7 m)
What did they look like? Brown, reddish-brown, and greenish-gray
Skin Type Thick scaly
What were their main threats? Natural disasters
Where were they found? Open meadows, grasslands, and forests
Locations Europe, mainly England, Spain, France, and Portugal
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Stegosaurus
Class Clade: Dinosauria
Family Stegosauridae
Scientific Name Dacentrurus armatus
How scary were they? 3
How loud were they? 4
How intelligent were they? 4
What did they prey on? Fruits, trees, and plants
What did they eat? Herbivores
Average litter size? 9-16
How much did they weigh? 11,200 lb (5080.2 kg)
How long were they? 26 ft (8 m)
How tall were they? 23 ft (7 m)
What did they look like? Brown, reddish-brown, and greenish-gray
Skin Type Thick scaly
What were their main threats? Natural disasters
Where were they found? Open meadows, grasslands, and forests
Locations Europe, mainly England, Spain, France, and Portugal
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Stegosaurus
Class Clade: Dinosauria
Family Stegosauridae
Scientific Name Dacentrurus armatus
How scary were they? 3
How loud were they? 4
How intelligent were they? 4
What did they prey on? Fruits, trees, and plants
What did they eat? Herbivores
Average litter size? 9-16
How much did they weigh? 11,200 lb (5080.2 kg)
How long were they? 26 ft (8 m)
How tall were they? 23 ft (7 m)
What did they look like? Brown, reddish-brown, and greenish-gray
Skin Type Thick scaly
What were their main threats? Natural disasters
What did they prey on?
Fruits, trees, and plants
What did they eat?
Herbivores
Average litter size?
9-16
How much did they weigh?
11,200 lb (5080.2 kg)
How long were they?
26 ft (8 m)
How tall were they?
23 ft (7 m)
What did they look like?
Brown, reddish-brown, and greenish-gray
Skin Type
Thick scaly
What were their main threats?
Natural disasters
Where were they found? Open meadows, grasslands, and forests
Locations Europe, mainly England, Spain, France, and Portugal
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Stegosaurus
Class Clade: Dinosauria
Family Stegosauridae
Scientific Name Dacentrurus armatus
How scary were they? 3
How loud were they? 4
How intelligent were they? 4
Where were they found?
Open meadows, grasslands, and forests
Locations
Europe, mainly England, Spain, France, and Portugal
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Stegosaurus
Kingdom
Animalia
Genus
Stegosaurus
Class Clade: Dinosauria
Family Stegosauridae
