Unearthed in Morocco’s Atlas Mountains, Spicomellus afer a Jurassic ankylosaur living roughly 165 million years ago emerges as one of the most jaw-droppingly unusual armored dinosaurs ever discovered. About 4 meters long and weighing up to 2 tons, this squat, tank-like herbivore boasted an armor setup no animal before or since has displayed. Its ribs sprouted one-meter-long spikes, and a bizarre “collar” of golf club-length bony spines encircled its neck features fused directly to the bones, not just embedded in flesh.

Researchers believe the spikes served dual roles: as defense against predators and as flashy display perhaps for mating or intimidation. The neck collar, in particular, might have been impractical in dense vegetation, suggesting its main function leaned toward show, not utility.

Even more striking: Spicomellus shows that tail weaponry like clubs evolved around 30 million years earlier than previously thought, thanks to fused tail vertebrae found in the remains. In sum, Spicomellus afer challenges our understanding of ankylosaur evolution revealing that elaborate armor appeared early and may have combined combat readiness with evolutionary drama.