Final answer:
The claim that nodosaurids were not as heavily armored as ankylosaurids is false. Both families boasted significant armor, including bony plates and, for ankylosaurids, a tail club.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement is false; nodosaurids were indeed heavily armored, similar to ankylosaurids. They were both part of the Ornithischia group of dinosaurs, known for having a pelvis similar to that of birds, despite birds actually evolving from the 'lizard-hipped' saurischian lineage. Both nodosaurids and ankylosaurids evolved protective features; nodosaurids were known for their rows of bony plates called osteoderms that covered their backs, while ankylosaurids also had bony plates, but with the addition of a bony club at the end of their tails.
Herrerasaurus is an example of a bipedal dinosaur that walked upright, a trait distinct from the quadrupedal stance of the heavily armored herbivores like ankylosaurs and nodosaurs. The Ornithischia group exhibited a range of diverse body shapes, from armored tanks like ankylosaurs to those with elaborate crests like Parasaurolophus, showing the wide spectrum of evolutionary adaptations among herbivorous dinosaurs.