Acanthopholis (/ˌækənˈθɒfoʊlɪs/; meaning "spiny scales") is a genus of ankylosaurian dinosaur in the family Nodosauridae that lived during the Late Cretaceous Period of England.
Percy brought them to the attention of Thomas Henry Huxley, who paid Griffiths to dig up all fossils he could find at the site.
Despite being hampered by the fact that it was located between the tidemarks, he managed to uncover several additional bones and parts of the body armour.
[2] The type specimens, cotypes GSM 109045-GSM 109058, were found in the Chalk Group,[3] a formation itself dating to the Albian to Cenomanian stages around 100 million years ago.
They concluded that all species were nomina dubia whose syntype specimens were composites of non-diagnostic ankylosaur and ornithopod remains.
[10] A partial nodosaur skeleton from the Gault Formation in Kent, which had been scavenged by sharks shortly after the animal had died, was discovered and excavated between 2000-01 and it has been tentatively assigned to Acanthopholis.
[11] The armour of Acanthopholis consisted of oval keeled plates set almost horizontally into the skin, with long spikes protruding from the neck and shoulder area, along the spine.