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Scientists have discovered a new plant-eating dinosaur with impressive armor plates on its back in Morocco. Named Thyreosaurus atlasicus, this creature lived approximately 168 million years ago and is considered a cousin of the previously discovered Adratiklit (mountain lizard).
The find consists of a partial skeleton, including parts of the back and unique armor plates. Researchers believe it belonged to a medium-to-large Stegosaur, a herbivore that roamed the Earth during the Jurassic and early Cretaceous periods.
A recent study published by Science Direct, led by a team of Moroccan and international scientists, reveals the fossil's origin within the El Mers Group rock layer of Morocco's Middle Atlas.
According to the study, the Thyreosaurus atlasicus is distinct from other Moroccan stegosaurs, including Adratiklit, which was found in the El Mers III Formation near Boulahfa.
A dinosaur with a dermal armor
The defining feature of Thyreosaurus atlasicus is its «remarkable dermal armor» composed of thick (up to 4 cm) oval-shaped to rectangular osteoderms. These plates display a unique asymmetry – one side is rough with small pits and fibers, while the other boasts a distinct cross-hatched pattern.
Interestingly, the bone structure of these plates resembles the tail spikes of other stegosaurs. Scientists believe they lay flat along the dinosaur's back, unlike the upright plates of some other species.
«It is interpreted that these osteoderms were arranged in a recumbent position over the body of the animal, instead of an erect position», the study reveals.
Further analysis of the remaining bones suggests the Thyreosaurus was an adult, but not fully grown, with an estimated body length of 6 meters.
By studying its skeletal structure, scientists were able to determine its close relatives within the dinosaur family tree. The discoveries of both Thyreosaurus and Adratiklit offer valuable insights into the evolution of stegosaur dinosaurs in Africa during the Middle Jurassic period.
