Story perspectives
Ancient Spicomellus Afer Fossils Redefine Ankylosaur Armor Evolution
8/29/2025
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Story summary
- Fossils of Spicomellus afer from Morocco, dating back 165 million years, show extensive bone spikes.
- This discovery challenges prior beliefs about ankylosaur armor development and indicates early evolutionary defense experimentation.
- Spicomellus is the first named ankylosaur from Africa, underscoring the need for more research on Gondwanan dinosaurs.
- The unique structure of its fused spikes raises questions regarding the dinosaur's mobility.
