Palaeontologists in Teruel, Spain, have discovered a nearly complete skull of the armoured dinosaur Dacentrurus armatus, dating back 150 million years to the Late Jurassic period. The skull, found in the Villarrubio Formation, is the most intact stegosaur skull ever found in Europe, and its discovery has significant implications for understanding the cranial structure of these ancient plant-eaters.

The fossil was recovered at the 'Están de Colón' location in Riodeva, a site known for its abundant paleontological discoveries. The skull is from a Dacentrurus armatus, a type of stegosaur known for its spiky armour, and its discovery is considered a 'paleontological milestone' due to the rarity of finding stegosaur skulls in Europe.

Researchers used advanced 3D modelling and comparative anatomy techniques to discover previously unknown features in the Riodeva skull, leading to the formal definition of the 'Neostegosauria' clade, which includes two major families: Stegosauridae and Huayangosauridae.

The discovery has shed light on the evolutionary relationship between Dacentrurus and North American species, and has provided new insights into how these iconic plated dinosaurs evolved across different continents. The findings have been published in the journal Vertebrate Zoology, and are expected to contribute significantly to the field of palaeontology.

The researchers will continue to study the fossil and its implications, with the next steps expected to involve further analysis of the skull's structure and its significance in the context of dinosaur evolution. The discovery is also expected to spark new research into the history of the Iberian Peninsula during the Jurassic era.