Spicomellus afer Nothosaurus These ridges and spines provided

These ridges and spines provided greater strength and buoyancy

2 meters (4 feet) long

La columna vertebral está compuesta por 8 cervicales

commonly known as thunderbirds

Snout-tail length 620 mm

Spicomellus afer Nothosaurus These ridges and spines providedSpicomellus afer is an ankylosaur dinosaur discovered in Morocco and first described in 2021, which has become one of the most remarkable finds in recent paleontology. It is the oldest known ankylosaur to date, with an estimated age of around 165 million years , dating back to the Middle Jurassic, making it also the first representative of this group documented in Africa. The name Spicomellus afer means African spiny collar, a direct reference to this