A stunning fossil discovery in Morocco has revealed one of the strangest dinosaurs ever known, a Jurassic species called Spicomellus afer. Living around 165 million years ago, this armored plant-eater is the earliest known ankylosaur and has left scientists amazed by its unique defense system.
Unlike other dinosaurs, Spicomellus carried an elaborate collar of spikes up to a meter long fused directly to its ribs. This unusual feature has never been seen before in any other animal, ancient or modern. Measuring about four meters in length and weighing close to two tonnes, the dinosaur likely also had a tail club, making it both a fearsome defender and an evolutionary mystery.
Researchers believe the extravagant spikes may have served more than one purpose. While they clearly acted as protection from predators, they could also have been used as a dramatic display to attract mates, much like a peacock’s feathers today. The fact that such ornate armor appeared so early in ankylosaur evolution suggests these dinosaurs experimented with form before later species simplified their defenses into more practical designs.
The discovery forces scientists to rethink how ankylosaurs evolved and adapted, showing that extreme body features were part of their evolutionary story much earlier than expected. For paleontology, Spicomellus afer is not just another fossil find—it is a reminder of nature’s creativity and the extraordinary variety of life that once roamed the Earth.