Sauropelta

Sauropelta is just like its name, a lizard with shields all over the top of its body. It had very hard, bony plates called scutes that covered most of its back and tail. The scutes on its neck were long and pointy, providing a strong deterrent to any meat-eaters looking for an easy meal. Unlike the better-known armored dinosaurs like Ankylosaurus, Sauropelta did not have a club on the end of its tail. It had a long, thin tail.

Built fairly low to the ground, Sauropelta walked on all four legs. It is considered one of the very earliest of the nodosaur family, retaining some features of less armored herbivores. Its hind legs are considerably longer than its fore limbs, indicating that it evolved from an animal that may have occasionally stood on its hind legs. It had a particularly long tail that was equal to the length of its body.