Spicomellus

What it was like

Spicomellus was an early ankylosaur covered in an unusual array of bony spines, including long spikes fused directly onto its ribs, a feature not seen in any other known dinosaur. Later finds added spikes around its neck and hips, along with a likely tail weapon, making it one of the earliest known ankylosaurs to carry this kind of defense. As a plant eater, it probably relied on this armor to protect itself from predators.

Its world

Spicomellus lived in what is now Morocco during the Middle Jurassic, about 168 million years ago. Its remains, from a single find, come from the El Mers III Formation, where it shared its habitat with the stegosaur Adratiklit and the little-known Thyreosaurus.

How it was found

Maidment and colleagues named Spicomellus in 2021, from a single rib bearing fused spikes. Later discoveries added more of the skeleton, revealing far more of its unusual armor than the first find suggested. It is among the oldest confirmed members of Ankylosauria, the armored dinosaur group that also includes Sarcolestes and Vectipelta.