Belonged to the family of stegosaurid (roof lizard) dinosaurs of which the most famous was Stegosaurus. Decentrurus was only 15 feet long, about half the length of Stegosaurus, and weighed less than 1 ton. It was one of the earliest stegosaurids. Members of the stegosaurid family were divided into two groups. Some had bony plates down the top of their backs with spines on the tail. The others had mostly spikes and no plates.

Dacentrurus had two rows of spikes along its back and tail. Because of its longer legs it stood higher off the ground than some other stegosaurids. Remains of this dinosaur have been found in England. Like other members of the family, it had three toes on each foot and four fingers on each hand. Dacentrurus had a small head and short teeth for eating soft plants.

If attacked, stegosaurids would have little defense against meat-eating dinosaurs. They had large fleshy parts and no means of protecting themselves except with their spikes. If attacked, they could lash out with their spiked tail and damage a predator.

Location: England, Portugal, France

Size: Length-13 feet (4 m)

Classification:

Family- Stegosauridae

Suborder- Thyraphora

Order- Ornithischia

Time: Late Jurassic