Ancient armored dinosaur, boasting three-foot spikes fused to its skeleton, identified as world's oldest of its kind

In a groundbreaking discovery, a team of researchers led by Susannah Maidment from the Natural History Museum in London and the University of Birmingham in the UK, have described a new species of ankylosaur, Spicomellus afer. This extinct species is the first ankylosaur found on the African continent and lived more than 165 million years ago during the Middle Jurassic.

The discovery of Spicomellus afer was made near the town of Boulemane in Morocco. This fascinating creature was covered in a variety of plates and spikes across its entire body, with a unique bony collar lined with spikes measuring up to 3.2 feet. The species also possessed bony spikes fused to and projecting from all of its ribs, and its neck was adorned with 3.2-feet-long neck spikes.

One of the most striking features of Spicomellus afer was the huge upwards-projecting spikes over its hips. These spikes, along with the spikes on its neck and body, were likely used for display, either to attract mates or intimidate rivals. The researchers suggest that these unique spikes were used for display, rather than for defense.

New analysis of Spicomellus afer reveals that the spikes on the extinct animal were likely even longer in life. The spikes of the extinct animal measured at least 34 inches (87 centimeters) each. The study on the extinct species has been published in the prestigious journal Nature.

The international team involved in the discovery and study of Spicomellus afer includes researchers from institutions in the UK, Morocco, and the US. The species Spicomellus afer had a tail weapon more than 30 million years before any other ankylosaur, making it a significant find in the study of these prehistoric creatures.

This discovery sheds new light on the diversity of ankylosaurs and their evolution. The team's findings suggest that ankylosaurs may have evolved more complex display structures than previously thought, providing valuable insights into their behaviour and ecology.

Ancient armored dinosaur, boasting three-foot spikes fused to its skeleton, identified as world's oldest of its kind