Open Paleo

Dongyangopelta

Chen et al., 2013 dohng-YAHNG-oh-PEL-tuh

From Dongyang (the city in Zhejiang Province, China, where it was found) + Greek pelte (shield): 'Dongyang shield', referring to its nodosaurid armor and discovery locality.

113.2–93.9 million years ago Albian–Cenomanian, Early Cretaceous–Late Cretaceous
Early Cretaceous and Late Cretaceous stages

Dongyangopelta is an monospecific genus of nodosaurid dinosaur that lived in China during the Early to Late Cretaceous period (Albian to Cenomanian stages, 105-96 Ma) in what is now the Chaochuan Formation. The type and only known species, Dongyangopelta yangyanensis, is known from a partial postcranial skeleton preserving osteoderms and ossified tendons. It was named in 2013 by Rongjun Chen, Wenjie Zheng, Yoichi Azuma, Masateru Shibata, Tianling Lou, Qiang Jin and Xinsheng Jin. Dongyangopelta represents one of the only nodosaurids known from Asia, along with Taohelong and Sauroplites.

Diagnosis

  1. Anterior surface of first sacrodorsal centrum strongly inflates laterally and slightly curves posteriorly
  2. Fused pelvic shield composed of larger pebble-shaped bosses defined by smaller tubercles or flat expanses of bone
  3. Domed triadiate osteoderm present
  4. Iliac blade slightly convex dorsally above acetabulum, turns steeply downward laterally and recurves almost horizontally at lateralmost edge (sigmoid curvature)
  5. Anterior end of preacetabular process curves lateroventally and bears a shallow groove on lateral and anterior edges
  6. Femur robust with ratio of maximum distal width to total femur length equal to 0.41

Species

Dongyangopelta yangyanensis Chen et al., 2013

Type species

Named for Yangyan Village, the locality near which the holotype was discovered.

Holotype
DYM F0136 , Dongyang Museum
Material
Partial postcranial skeleton: sacrodorsal vertebrae, sacral vertebrae, dorsal ribs, ossified tendons, at least six types of osteoderms, partial ilium fused with two sacral ribs, complete right femur, three pedal phalanges
Horizon
Chaochuan Formation, Albian–Cenomanian, Early Cretaceous–Late Cretaceous , 113.2–93.9 million years ago
Locality
Pinglinggang Hill, Zhejiang, China

References

  1. Chen, R.; Zheng, W.; Azuma, Y.; Shibata, M.; Lou, T.; Jin, Q.; Jin, X. (2013). A new nodosaurid ankylosaur from the Chaochuan Formation of Dongyang, Zhejiang Province, China. Acta Geologica Sinica (English Edition) 87(3): 658-671. doi:10.1111/1755-6724.12077 chen2013a
  2. Jones, B. (2026). The Princeton Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs: Ornithischians. Princeton University Press.

    Source of the body length, mass, and hip height estimates, and the appearance features.

    jones2026a