Discovering Spicomellus: A Jurassic Marvel

Imagine a bustling coastal floodplain in Morocco 165 million years ago, where one of the most bizarre and spectacular dinosaurs roamed—Spicomellus! This Jurassic heavyweight, stretching about 13 feet long and weighing up to two tonnes, boasted a striking array of armor and spikes that set it apart from any creature on record.

Jaw-Dropping Features of Spicomellus

Researchers recently unveiled extensive fossilized remains found in the Atlas Mountains, revealing a dinosaur with jaw-droppingly unique features. With rib spikes measuring up to three feet long and an extravagant collar of club-like spines encircling its neck, Spicomellus is unlike any dinosaur—or animal—ever discovered.

Vertebrate paleontologist Richard Butler, leading the research published in *Nature*, exclaimed, "The armor of Spicomellus is jaw-droppingly weird!" Its peculiar design raises questions about its purpose—was it purely for defense, or perhaps to attract mates?

A Dual Purpose: Defense or Display?

While Butler notes that the armor likely had a defensive function, the enormous spikes seem a bit excessive for warding off predators. This led to a fascinating hypothesis: could the extravagant armor also serve as a display feature during mating season? According to lead author Susannah Maidment from the Natural History Museum in London, such elaborate structures often indicate gender characteristics in living animals.

"They could be used in courtship or territorial battles," Maidment suggests, highlighting how Spicomellus’ impractical spikes might have caught the eye of potential mates, despite being a logistical nightmare in dense vegetation.

Insights from Incomplete Remains

Though the fossils lacked a complete skeleton—missing its head among other parts—they still paint a vivid picture of what Spicomellus might have looked like. Initially known only from a single rib fragment described in 2021, these fossils from 2022 and 2023 revealed a dinosaur covered in short spikes along its back and sporting two pairs of long outward-projecting spikes above its hips.

Interestingly, the fused tail vertebrae suggest it may have sported a weaponized tail, possibly akin to a club, hinting at defensive strategies against predators.

Evolutionary Insights and Legacy