Fig. 1 in Bizarre dermal armour suggests the first African ankylosaur

Fig. 1 | Morphology and histology of Spicomellus afer, NHMUK PV R37412. a–d, Photographs (a,b) and 3D model produced from XCT scanning (c,d) showing the specimen in anterior/posterior (a,c) and dorsal (b,d) views. Red lines on a and b indicate where the specimen was sectioned for histological analysis. Red colouration on c and d indicates a cement used to consolidate the specimen. e–g, Thin-section photographs of the rod: full section of the rod (e) (see Fig. 2a for larger version); histological section through the dorsal osteodermal part of the rod (f) showing structural fibre bundles in an orthogonal 'plywood-like' arrangement; histological section through the rib part of the rod (g) showing heavily remodelled cortical bone. Yellow box in e indicates the position of f, blue box indicates the position of g. h, Histological section from the sacral shield of NHMUK PV R9293, an indeterminate ankylosaur from the Lower Cretaceous Wealden Group of the UK showing fibre bundles arranged in a pattern similar to that of the osteoderm in Spicomellus (f). i, Histological section from the rib of NHMUK PV R36643, an unnamed ankylosaur from the Callovian Oxford Clay Formation of the UK showing well-vascularized, remodelled cortical bone similar to that of the rib section of Spicomellus (g).