Researchers are excavating in Morocco the world’s oldest ankylosaur, dating back 165 million years, with nearly 1-meter long spines protruding from its neck.

Most complete skeleton of Spicomellus afer rewrites the history of armored dinosaurs

Researchers from the Natural History Museum in London returned to the Atlas Mountains in Morocco and excavated the oldest ankylosaur on the planet. The fossil is 165 million years old and has bony spikes almost 1 meter long protruding from its neck.

The find was described in a paper published in Nature magazine on August 27, 2025. The dinosaur received the scientific name Spicomellus afer.

According to paleontologist Susannah Maidment, leader of the research, the specimen changes what was known about the evolution of ankylosaurs.

The oldest animal of the lineage lived during the Bathonian stage of the Middle Jurassic. This period is about 30 million years earlier than expected.

Thus, the discovery also positions Africa as a possible cradle for armored dinosaurs. Previously, paleontologists suspected that the group had originated in Laurasia, in the northern hemisphere.

According to Smithsonian Magazine, the new publication repositions the entire chronology of the group. Armored dinosaurs moved from Africa to the north.

Why Spicomellus is the oldest ankylosaur ever found

The world’s **oldest ankylosaur** carries armor never before seen in any living or extinct vertebrate. The bony spikes are fused directly to the ribs.

This anatomical trait is unprecedented. According to EarthSky, the spikes are not appendages that grow on the skin; they are integral extensions of the skeleton itself.

Therefore, the bone-spike fusion represents an extreme evolutionary commitment. The metabolic energy spent on this armor needed to bring an enormous selective benefit.

The specimen researched in Morocco exhibits an ossified collar around its neck. The preserved spikes measure 87 centimeters.

Paleontologists estimate that, in life, these spikes exceeded 1 meter. They projected sideways, creating an extreme lateral visibility structure.

Similarly, the entire skeleton was covered in plates and spikes. There were large formations over the hips and blade-shaped structures along the back.

The details appear in ScienceDaily, which covered the publication in Nature. The skeleton recovered in 2023 exceeded expectations.

How the oldest ankylosaur was found in the Moroccan Atlas

The story of Spicomellus afer begins with a commercial transaction. In 2019, paleontologist Susannah Maidment purchased a fossilized rib fragment from a Cambridge-based seller.

The bone had spikes fused to its surface. Maidment called collaborators and began authenticity verification. The first description was published in 2021.

However, the single fragment left many questions unanswered. Researchers needed to return to the field to understand the rest of the skeleton.

The expedition planned for 2020 was postponed due to the pandemic. In April 2023, Maidment and the international team reached the Boulemane site.

As reported by the Natural History Museum itself, the expedition recovered enough bones to describe the complete anatomy.

Thus, the Nature paper from August 2025 presents the detailed anatomy of the animal. It’s the first time we see what a Middle Jurassic ankylosaur truly looked like.