Prehistoric Pokémon-Like Dinosaur Fossil Shakes Up Evolution Theories

In a remarkable paleontological discovery, researchers have unveiled the fossil of Spicomellus afer, a prehistoric dinosaur that lived 165 million years ago in what is now North Africa. This bizarre creature, with its tank-like physique and bristling array of spikes and armor, is the oldest known ankylosaur specimen ever found.

The Spicomellus afer fossil, unearthed near the Moroccan town of Boulemane, has confounded existing theories on the evolution of ankylosaurs, a major group of plant-eating dinosaurs. "It's absolutely bristling with spikes all over its body," said Professor Richard Butler of the University of Birmingham, the project co-lead. "It has these incredibly distinctive spikes around the neck - an armored collar that is absolutely enormous and totally out of proportion to the rest of the body."

Further adding to the dinosaur's unique features, the fossil suggests Spicomellus afer would have had some form of tail weapon, such as a club-like structure, which researchers believe could have been used to fend off rivals or predators. This adaptation for tail weaponry is thought to have evolved around 30 million years earlier than previously believed.

The sheer extravagance of Spicomellus afer's armor and spikes has led researchers to conclude that these features were likely used for display purposes, such as dominance or mating, rather than solely for physical defense. "When you see the neck collar of this thing, it seems like total overkill," said Butler. "It does seem like the kind of thing that would've complicated its life."