Rabat – A recent archaeological discovery in Morocco has revealed the fossil of one of the most unusual dinosaurs ever identified.
Spicomellus afer lived more than 165 million years ago, during the Middle Jurassic, in the region of present-day Boulemane. This heavily armored herbivore is notable not only for its striking appearance but also as the oldest ankylosaur discovered and the first of its kind found in Africa, according to a study published on Wednesday in Nature.
The species was first described in 2021 based on a single rib. New fossil evidence has now allowed researchers to reconstruct its anatomy more fully, uncovering features that continue to astonish even seasoned paleontologists.
A creature like no other
Spicomellus is unique for having spikes fused directly to its ribs, a trait unseen in any other vertebrate, past or present. Some spikes formed a collar around its neck, reaching up to 87 centimeters. Its body likely bore a combination of plates and spikes, including massive projections above the hips and blade-shaped armor along the shoulders. “Spicomellus had neck spikes over a meter long, enormous spikes above the hips, and an array of long, blade-like structures along its shoulders. Nothing like this exists in any other animal,” said Susannah C.R. Maidment of London’s Natural History Museum, who co-led the study with the University of Birmingham.
The complexity of its armor has puzzled researchers. Later ankylosaurs evolved simpler protective plating, suggesting that Spicomellus’ spikes may have served to display dominance, attract mates, or intimidate rivals, rather than solely to defend itself.
A tail weapon ahead of its time
Fossils also show signs of a tail weapon: certain vertebrae fused in a defensive pattern previously seen only in ankylosaurs with tail clubs, which lived tens of millions of years later during the Cretaceous. This finding pushes back the evolution of tail weapons by at least 30 million years.
“Examining the Spicomellus fossils gave us chills. This discovery challenges long-held assumptions about ankylosaur evolution,” said Richard Butler of the University of Birmingham.
Driss Ouarhache of Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University in Fez, who co-led the Moroccan team, emphasized the find’s significance: “We have never encountered a dinosaur like this, and this region still holds many secrets.”
The fossils were carefully prepared at the Department of Geology at Dhar El Mahraz Faculty of Sciences in Fez, with support from the University of Birmingham, and now await further study and cataloging.