Dracopelta
Encyclopedia
Dracopelta was an ankylosauria
n dinosaur
from Portugal
, described by Peter Galton
in 1980. When Galton described the only known specimen, he referred it to the Kimmeridgian age (Late Jurassic) of the locality of Ribamar. However, to complicate matters, there are two localities nearby called Ribamar in the Estremadura
region of Portugal. The first, near Mafra, is dated as Early Cretaceous
, and the second, near Lourinhã
, as Late Jurassic
. Antunes and Mateus (2003), considered the Late Jurassic age to be more likely.
The type species
was designated D. zbyszewskii, in honour of palaeontologist George Zbyszewski.
. Though originally placed within the Nodosauridae
, Vickaryous et al. (2004) considered Dracopelta Ankylosauria
incertae sedis
.
As an ankylosaur, it was almost certainly an herbivore.
Ankylosauria
Ankylosauria is a group of herbivorous dinosaurs of the order Ornithischia. It includes the great majority of dinosaurs with armor in the form of bony osteoderms. Ankylosaurs were bulky quadrupeds, with short, powerful limbs. They are first known to have appeared in the early Jurassic Period of...
n dinosaur
Dinosaur
Dinosaurs are a diverse group of animals of the clade and superorder Dinosauria. They were the dominant terrestrial vertebrates for over 160 million years, from the late Triassic period until the end of the Cretaceous , when the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event led to the extinction of...
from Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, described by Peter Galton
Peter Galton
Peter M. Galton is a British vertebrate paleontologist working in America, who has to date written or co-written about a hundred papers in scientific journals or chapters in paleontology textbooks, especially on ornithischian and prosauropod dinosaurs.With Robert Bakker in a joint article...
in 1980. When Galton described the only known specimen, he referred it to the Kimmeridgian age (Late Jurassic) of the locality of Ribamar. However, to complicate matters, there are two localities nearby called Ribamar in the Estremadura
Estremadura
Estremadura may refer to:* Estremadura Province * Estremadura Province * Lisboa VR, a Portuguese wine region called Estremadura until 2009...
region of Portugal. The first, near Mafra, is dated as Early Cretaceous
Early Cretaceous
The Early Cretaceous or the Lower Cretaceous , is the earlier or lower of the two major divisions of the Cretaceous...
, and the second, near Lourinhã
Lourinhã
Lourinhã is a municipality in Portugal with a total area of 147.2 km² and a total population of 24,601 inhabitants. The seat of the municipality is the village of Lourinhã, with a population of 8,800 inhabitants....
, as Late Jurassic
Late Jurassic
The Late Jurassic is the third epoch of the Jurassic Period, and it spans the geologic time from 161.2 ± 4.0 to 145.5 ± 4.0 million years ago , which is preserved in Upper Jurassic strata. In European lithostratigraphy, the name "Malm" indicates rocks of Late Jurassic age...
. Antunes and Mateus (2003), considered the Late Jurassic age to be more likely.
The type species
Type species
In biological nomenclature, a type species is both a concept and a practical system which is used in the classification and nomenclature of animals and plants. The value of a "type species" lies in the fact that it makes clear what is meant by a particular genus name. A type species is the species...
was designated D. zbyszewskii, in honour of palaeontologist George Zbyszewski.
Material
The holotype of D. zbyszewsii is a partial skeleton that consists of a rib cage with thirteen dorsal vertebrae and five dermal scutes.Systematics
Dracopelta was the first ankylosaur recognized from the Late Jurassic and remains one of the most primitive known genera referred to the AnkylosauriaAnkylosauria
Ankylosauria is a group of herbivorous dinosaurs of the order Ornithischia. It includes the great majority of dinosaurs with armor in the form of bony osteoderms. Ankylosaurs were bulky quadrupeds, with short, powerful limbs. They are first known to have appeared in the early Jurassic Period of...
. Though originally placed within the Nodosauridae
Nodosauridae
Nodosauridae is a family of ankylosaurian dinosaurs, from the Late Jurassic to the Late Cretaceous Period of what are now North America, Asia, Antarctica and Europe.-Characteristics:...
, Vickaryous et al. (2004) considered Dracopelta Ankylosauria
Ankylosauria
Ankylosauria is a group of herbivorous dinosaurs of the order Ornithischia. It includes the great majority of dinosaurs with armor in the form of bony osteoderms. Ankylosaurs were bulky quadrupeds, with short, powerful limbs. They are first known to have appeared in the early Jurassic Period of...
incertae sedis
Incertae sedis
, is a term used to define a taxonomic group where its broader relationships are unknown or undefined. Uncertainty at specific taxonomic levels is attributed by , , and similar terms.-Examples:*The fossil plant Paradinandra suecica could not be assigned to any...
.
Palaeobiology
It's difficult to estimate the animal's size from the fragmentary remains, but it was clearly a small dinosaur, approximately 2 meters long.As an ankylosaur, it was almost certainly an herbivore.