Meet Spicomellus, The Strangest Dinosaur Yet

Every new fossil adds a piece to the dinosaur puzzle, but some finds—like this one—completely change the picture. One such case is Spicomellus afer, a dinosaur whose remains show some of the strangest body armor ever found.

It wasn’t just a creature with a few spikes here and there. Its entire skeleton was covered in long, sharp bones that gave it a look unlike anything else in its time. What makes this even more fascinating is that the armor evolved far earlier than researchers thought possible.

New fossils published in Nature have revealed that Spicomellus lived 165 million years ago, making it the oldest known member of the ankylosaur group. For comparison, most of its heavily armored relatives didn’t appear until much later.

The story began in 2019, when paleontologist Professor Susannah Maidment came across a rib bone from a fossil dealer in Cambridge. The bone stood out immediately. Fused directly to its surface were bony spines, something never recorded in any other dinosaur. Normally, armor sits on top of the skeleton, not locked into it.

This unusual feature convinced Maidment and her colleagues that they were dealing with something new. They gave the dinosaur the name Spicomellus afer.

The first part, “Spicomellus,” means “collar of spikes,” while “afer” points to its African origin. While the dealer had obtained the fossil from Morocco, the exact site of discovery was not known at first—only that it came from the region near Boulemane.

A dinosaur with metre-long spikes was found to be armored from head to tail.

To learn more, Maidment teamed up with British, American, and Moroccan paleontologists for a field expedition. Their aim was simple: find more pieces of this odd dinosaur.

The trip paid off. Not only did they recover more fossils, but the new finds showed that the spikes weren’t limited to the ribs. Instead, the armor covered the dinosaur’s entire body.

The Natural History Museum later described the extent of the defenses: spikes sticking out from its hips, blade-like bones running down its sides, a tail that looked like a weapon, and a bony collar ringed with spikes.

Some of the largest spikes may have reached over a metre in length, jutting out from both sides of its neck like giant lances. If you picture a tank covered in thorns, you’re not far off.

Matthew Dempsey/ Maidment et al.

At 165 million years old, Spicomellus predates many of the classic ankylosaurs by tens of millions of years. That alone makes the find groundbreaking. According to Maidment, the fossils force scientists to reconsider how armor evolved in these dinosaurs.

“When we originally named Spicomellus, there were doubts that it was an ankylosaur at all,” Maidment explained.“Now, not only can we confirm beyond a doubt that this interpretation was correct, but Africa’s only known ankylosaur is far weirder than anyone imagined.”

The unusual armor wasn’t just decoration—it reshaped the way experts think about how defense strategies developed among plant-eating dinosaurs. The discovery shows that even in the early stages of their evolution, ankylosaurs were already experimenting with elaborate ways to protect themselves.

Understanding the Psychology Behind Curiosity and Discovery

Discoveries such as these, like the Spicomellus afer, ignite a sense of curiosity that is deeply ingrained in human nature. According to the research of George Loewenstein, a significant gap in knowledge intensifies our curiosity, driving us to seek answers and make sense of the unknown. This phenomenon, known as the Information Gap Theory, explains why such scientific breakthroughs engross both the scientific community and the general public alike.

Spicomellus afer revealed as one of the strangest dinosaurs ever discovered.

Professor Richard Butler from the University of Birmingham, who co-led the study, emphasized how significant the fossils are.

“Spicomellus is one of the strangest dinosaurs that we’ve ever discovered,” he said. “It’s utterly unlike any other found anywhere else in the world.”

Butler added that the dinosaur is likely to capture the public’s imagination, not only for its bizarre appearance but also for the insight it gives into the early history of ankylosaurs, the so-called “armored tanks” of the dinosaur world.

The Trustees of the Natural History Museum, London

For a long time, most of the attention in dinosaur research has gone to well-known regions like North America and Asia, where many complete skeletons have been found. But discoveries like Spicomellus afer highlight the importance of African sites in understanding the bigger picture.

These fossils don’t just add a quirky new creature to the dinosaur family tree—they shift timelines and challenge existing theories. The picture that emerges is of a dinosaur armed to the teeth millions of years before anyone thought such armor was possible.

With metre-long spikes jutting out from its neck and body, Spicomellus afer stood as one of nature’s earliest experiments in extreme defense. And even millions of years later, it’s still doing its job—forcing us to look again at the rules we thought we knew.

In the same vein, this dinosaur discovery can serve as a learning tool, capitalizing on the 'novelty effect.' This principle is supported by Dr. Carol Dweck, a renowned motivation researcher, who states, "Novel experiences can enhance learning and memory retention." This makes the Spicomellus afer an excellent point of interest for educating about prehistoric life, as its uniqueness can engage learners more effectively.

What Research Shows About the Impact of Dinosaurs on Child Development

Additionally, the fascination many children have with dinosaurs, like the Spicomellus afer, can be therapeutically beneficial. Dr. Tara Brach, a renowned psychologist and meditation teacher, states, "Engaging with the wonders of nature, including dinosaurs, can enhance children's emotional resilience and cognitive skills." Her insights highlight that this interest can stimulate intellectual growth and emotional development, fostering skills such as critical thinking and patience. Hence, the discovery of this unique dinosaur can be a catalyst to engage young minds in constructive learning. For more on the benefits of such engagement, visit Tara Brach's website.

Analysis & Alternative Approaches

In conclusion, the discovery of the Spicomellus afer has implications beyond the realm of paleontology. Not only does it feed our inherent curiosity, but it serves as a novel tool for education and can contribute to child development. As Dr. Alison Gopnik, a prominent developmental psychologist, states, "The best way to understand the world is to explore it, and the stories of our past are a vital part of that exploration." This sentiment echoes the idea that as we continue to unearth the mysteries of our planet's past, we inadvertently continue the cycle of learning, growing, and evolving—a testament to the enduring value of scientific exploration. (Alison Gopnik, Ph.D.; Ramani Durvasula, Ph.D.)