Armoured Dinosaur: Ankylosaur with 3-foot spikes protruding from its neck found in Morocco

An artist’s illustration of S. afer, an early ankylosaur with massive neck spikes. (Image: Matthew Dempsey)

Morocco's mountains have unearthed a one-of-a-kind dinosaur. Buried in ancient rocks was a fossil carrying a collar of enormous spikes, unlike anything seen before.

What did scientists discover in Morocco?
Researchers uncovered the remains of Spicomellus afer in 2023. It roamed the Earth during the Middle Jurassic, roughly 165 million years ago. Its skeleton included ribs, vertebrae, parts of the pelvis and bony plates called osteoderms. The spikes were fused to the ribs, confirming it as a new species.

The dinosaur stretched about four metres long with a turtle-like body. Around its neck, metre-long spikes extended from both sides. Unlike most ankylosaurs with flat neck plates, this one carried a heavy bony collar tipped with blades. Scientists believe the neck spikes measured at least 87 centimetres in length. Other spikes projected from the ribs, forming part of the skeleton itself.

Fossilised remains of the S. afer specimen, partially preserved, were found in 2023. (Image: Maidment et al., Nature (2025))

Why would a dinosaur carry such armour?
Palaeontologists suggest the spikes first evolved for attraction, much like a peacock’s tail. Carrying such weight proved health and strength to potential mates. But the display was not entirely for show. Evidence from its tail vertebrae indicates the animal could swing a mace-like structure. This means its armour offered both fashion and defence.

The fossil marks the earliest known ankylosaur ever described. The unusual collar of spikes sets it apart from later relatives that developed simpler clubs for defence. By showing both sexual display and protection, S. afer provides new insight into how dinosaur armour evolved over millions of years.