Scientists have discovered a bizarre armoured dinosaur which had metre-long spikes sticking out from its neck.
The species, called Spicomellus afer, lived 165 million years ago, and is the oldest example of a group of armoured dinosaurs known as ankylosaurs.
The elaborateness and spikiness of the animal found in Morocco has come as a shock to experts, who now have to rethink how these armoured dinosaurs evolved.
Professor Richard Butler from the University of Birmingham, who co-led the research, described the dinosaur as the 'punk rocker' of its time.
Initially thought to start off with simpler armour, experts now consider the possibility that these structures were actually used for display before later serving as protective armor. The unique spikes fused directly to the bone have never been observed in any other animal, living or extinct.
This discovery raises exciting new questions about the adaptations of ankylosaurs, with researchers estimating it would have been about four metres long and one metre high, weighing around two tonnes.
Prof Butler’s remarks capture the astonishing nature of this find: 'Instead, we have an animal bristling with spikes like a hedgehog.' The research has been published in the journal Nature, and showcases the potential for more significant finds in this promising region.
