Scientists have discovered a bizarre armoured dinosaur that possessed metre-long spikes protruding from its neck. This species, known as Spicomellus afer, is the oldest example of the ankylosaurs group, dating back to 165 million years ago. The elaborate and spiky nature of the dinosaur, unearthed in Morocco, has surprised researchers, prompting a re-evaluation of how these heavily armoured dinosaurs evolved.
Prof Richard Butler, a co-leader of the research from the University of Birmingham, referred to it as the 'punk rocker' of its era. He stated, It is one of the strangest dinosaurs ever discovered. The spikes appear to be fused directly to the bone, a characteristic that raises questions given that no other known animals, extinct or living, exhibit such a feature.
Prof Butler and his colleague, Prof Susannah Maidment from the Natural History Museum, posited that these unusual structures might have served a display purpose before being adapted as body armor for protection against predators.
The ankylosaurs thrived until the late Cretaceous, alongside large carnivorous dinosaurs such as T. rex, where it was previously thought they evolved from simple armoured plates to more robust structures for defense. Instead, the find suggests they might have started with complex armor from earlier periods, which then simplified over time.
The research team estimates that Spicomellus afer, with incomplete fossil records, would have measured around four meters in length and approximately one meter high, weighing about two tonnes.
Locally discovered by a farmer in Boulemane, Morocco, this is notably the first ankylosaur found on the African continent. Prof Butler described finding the fossils as one of the most exhilarating moments of his career, and Prof Driss Ouarhache, leading the Moroccan team, emphasized the potential for significant discoveries in the region. The research findings were published in the journal Nature.
Prof Richard Butler, a co-leader of the research from the University of Birmingham, referred to it as the 'punk rocker' of its era. He stated, It is one of the strangest dinosaurs ever discovered. The spikes appear to be fused directly to the bone, a characteristic that raises questions given that no other known animals, extinct or living, exhibit such a feature.
Prof Butler and his colleague, Prof Susannah Maidment from the Natural History Museum, posited that these unusual structures might have served a display purpose before being adapted as body armor for protection against predators.
The ankylosaurs thrived until the late Cretaceous, alongside large carnivorous dinosaurs such as T. rex, where it was previously thought they evolved from simple armoured plates to more robust structures for defense. Instead, the find suggests they might have started with complex armor from earlier periods, which then simplified over time.
The research team estimates that Spicomellus afer, with incomplete fossil records, would have measured around four meters in length and approximately one meter high, weighing about two tonnes.
Locally discovered by a farmer in Boulemane, Morocco, this is notably the first ankylosaur found on the African continent. Prof Butler described finding the fossils as one of the most exhilarating moments of his career, and Prof Driss Ouarhache, leading the Moroccan team, emphasized the potential for significant discoveries in the region. The research findings were published in the journal Nature.
