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| Format: | Recurso digital |
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Zenodo
2026
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18537208 |
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Table of Contents:
- <p>This work proposes a boundary-first interpretation of the unusual osteological structures observed in Spicomellus afer, a Middle Jurassic thyreophoran from North Africa. Departing from conventional armour-based explanations, the study argues that the rib-fused spikes and circumferential collar-like arrangements are more coherently explained as a distributed mechanosensory boundary system rather than as impact-resistant defensive armour.</p> <p>The hypothesis is grounded in comparative anatomy, mechanical coupling principles, and geometric analysis. Direct fusion of spikes to the ribs minimizes soft-tissue damping and enables efficient transmission of low-amplitude mechanical perturbations into the axial skeleton. Radial spike geometry is interpreted as providing directional resolution of external stimuli, allowing early detection of approaching organisms, environmental disturbances, or close-range contact within dense Jurassic ecosystems.</p> <p>Testable predictions are articulated across bone microstructure, articulation stiffness, wear patterns, spatial distribution, and mechanical modeling outcomes, rendering the hypothesis explicitly falsifiable. By reframing defence as a secondary consequence of perception, this work situates Spicomellus afer as a potential early example of skeletal-level sensory integration in vertebrate evolution and contributes to broader discussions on boundary-first design principles in biological systems.</p> <p>Keywords</p> <p>Spicomellus afer</p> <p>thyreophoran dinosaurs</p> <p>dinosaur sensory systems</p> <p>osteoderms</p> <p>mechanosensation</p> <p>boundary-first biology</p> <p>skeletal sensory integration</p> <p>Jurassic ecosystems</p> <p>functional morphology</p> <p>evolutionary biomechanics</p>