Overview

• The fossils come from the Middle Jurassic of the Middle Atlas in Morocco, dated to about 174.7–161.5 million years ago.
• The animal bore a rigid bony neck collar with spines at least 87 centimeters long and additional spikes fused to the ribs, a configuration not previously documented in any vertebrate.
• Targeted fieldwork in 2023 recovered a partial skeleton after a 2021 rib fragment with fused spines was CT-scanned to verify authenticity.
• Researchers estimate a body length of roughly 4 meters and suggest the exaggerated spines may have served display as well as defensive roles, with tail-club features proposed but not preserved.
• Prepared material is curated at the Faculty of Sciences Dhar El Mahraz in Fez, supporting further work on ankylosaur evolution in Africa.