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Hello all I have a question about these three big crocodylomorph teeth from the Kem Kem beds in Morocco. The Kem Kem beds are Cenomanian (early late Cretaceous) in age. These are my three teeth: The left one is an 8,5 cm long tooth crown (maybe partial rooted but not too much) which is very slender. It has carinae ( Correct term for Crocodilians?) running all the way along the crown. The middle one is a rooted, slender tooth of 9 cm with a missing tip. The first time I saw this tooth for a moment I thought it would be a Pliosaur tooth, until I saw the location. I am not sure if the missing tip is chewing damage or just because the fossil broke. The complete tooth would have been 9,3-9,5 cm I think. It does have carinae, but they don’t seem to run along the entire 4 cm long crown. The root itself is around 5 cm long and hollow. The last one is a very robust 6 cm long tooth crown with clear carinae running along the entire tooth. This tooth is way smaller than the first one, but a lot more robust. My problem with these teeth is ID’ing them. Crocodile teeth usually aren’t easy but I really wanted to try to get some ID on these. Some background info: So far seven Crocodylomorphs are described in the Kem Kem beds. 1: First of, Araripesuchus rattoides I couldn’t really find any good pictures of teeth from this species, but I found this picture of a jaw of Araripesuchus wegneri from Niger My teeth certainly do not belong to this genus because of size and shape. 2: Next, Laganosuchus maghrebensis, a species who’s teeth also don’t look similar to mine. 3: Hamadasuchus rebouli has pretty distinctive teeth. They are usually serrated and a lot smaller. 4: Next up, Aegisuchus witmeri, a croc with a holotype without any teeth. However, the size estimates given to this crocodile are too small to contain such big teeth, so I also rule this one out. 5: We also have Kemkemia auditorei, but this species is only known from caudal vertebra. According to Wikipedia (I know, great source), this would have been a crocodylomorph with a size of 4 to 5 meters. I can’t really comment on teeth of this species, but when I compared it with the largest tooth recorded (9cm) of the biggest crocodile today (Saltwater crocodile), this tooth was even larger than the biggest of the Saltwater crocodile, while that specific individual must have been 1 to 2 meters bigger than the 4 to 5 meter estimate on Kemkemia, so I think we can rule that species also out. 6: The last one I feel pretty confident in ruling out is Lavocatchampsa sigogneaurusselae. Beside being way to small, it’s teeth looks nothing like mine. 7: Now onto the most famous Kem Kem crocodile: Elosuchus cherifiensis. The original description of the genus Elosuchus included these teeth. According to the description and this picture, I am pretty sure the tooth on the right does belong to this species. The other two teeth do not fit this description however. For the tooth on the left one I can believe it’s a different position in the jaw, but I am far from sure. The middle tooth is something else I think. It could of course be a case of heterodonty, but it differs quite a lot from the two others. So what do you guys think? Is this a case of heterodonty, or is there some huge, undescribed crocodylomorph present in the Kem Kem beds? Really looking forward to what you think. Pictures from: Larsson, H. C. E., en C. A. Sidor. “Unusual Crocodyliform Teeth from the Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian) of Southeastern Morocco”. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 19, nr. 2 (1999): 398–401. Martin, Jeremy E., en France De Lapparent De Broin. “A Miniature Notosuchian with Multicuspid Teeth from the Cretaceous of Morocco”. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 36, nr. 6 (november 2016). Sereno, Paul, en Hans Larsson. “Cretaceous Crocodyliforms from the Sahara”. ZooKeys 28 (19 november 2009): 1–143. Lapparent de Broin, France de. “Elosuchus, a New Genus of Crocodile from the Cretaceous of the North of Africa”. Comptes Rendus Palevol 1, nr. 5 (1 december 2002): 275.

Hi! I recently got 4 vertebras from Morocco (Kem-Kem beds). They told me that one of them (the smallest one, nº4) is a theropod vertebra but I don't know what kind of theropod it comes from (or even if it is possible to know). And I'm completely lost with the other 3 (number 1 - 3), I don't know if they are Spinosaurus, crocodile or even a mosasaur... Can anyone help me? Thanks in advance!

I've got five jaw fragments from the Kem Kem of which I think they are from crocodilians. Any ideas as to what genus or species these belong would be appriciated. 1. No idea what this jaw is from, but my best guess is some crocodilian. 2. I also don't know what this is but also probably some crocodilian. 3. This one has a hard layer of sediment covering it and it's missing the underside of the jaw. It looks a bit like the dented part of a Spinosaurus dentary but it's more likely also crocodilian. 4. Definitely crocodilian, has a typical croc texture (lots of dents). To me it looks like a right jugal with a part of the maxilla. 5. Also some crocodilian, resembles an Elosuchus jaw but it's pretty small so maybe a juvenile or some other croc. Have fun ID'ing!

Hello, I'm new on this forum and I've got a fossil of which I don't know what it is so I thought I'd ask. It's from the Kem Kem. I don't know which formation but it comes from Taouz. Only one side has been preparated. I haven't preparated the other side because it's a pretty thin bone and I'm afraid it might break. It seems like it has broken and been repaired before. Also, there's an Onchopristis tooth attached to it. I think it might be a skull fragment because of it's odd shape. Specifically I think it might be some theropod's left postorbital of which only the inside has been preparated. But there aren't a lot of Kem Kem skulls to compare it to. So it might be something entirely else. Any ideas as to what it could be would be highly appreciated. Top view Front view

Hi this is a bone I just repaired originally from Morocco, it was broken into two pieces. Please can I have help to identify it. I am guessing Spinosaurus femur. Its 18 inches long, 2 inch diameter at the smallest point and 3.5 inches diameter at the widest, Thank you

I was given this fossil broken in 8 larger pieces and much dust. I put it back together, but have no clue what it is. I know its from Morocco and possibly the Kem Kem area. Please can you help me identify it, its been bugging me. Thank you

I bought a bag of assorted Morocco shark teeth several years ago and never properly identified them. I have tried to identify them now and could use some help. The measurements are from the top of the root to the tip of the crown #1 - Otodus obliquus? Tooth is about 4 cm #2- Striatolamia sp.? Tooth is about 1.75 cm #3- Cretolamna appendiculata? Tooth is about 3 cm #4- ??? Tooth is about 4 cm #5- ??? Tooth is about 4.5 cm #6- Cretolamna appendiculata? Tooth is about 4.5 cm #7- Cretolamna appendiculata? Tooth is about 4.25 cm #8- Cretolamna appendiculata? Tooth is about 4 cm #9- Cretolamna appendiculata? Teeth are about 3-3.25 cm

Hello, and thanks to everyone who helped with my last trilobite that I had inquired about. I had a bad feeling about it from the start, so I wasn’t surprised that it turned out to be mostly fake. I have a few more trilobites here that I’ve acquired over the years that I was hoping to get some more opinions on, and if possible maybe get the species identified, as not all of them were identified when I bought them. I'll start with just this one for now (I was going to post more, but I seem to have reached some file limit and can't post any more photos in this thread). It is about six inches outstretched. I am certain that it is at least partially real, as there is some good eye detail, but there is also some very obvious restoration work on one of the eyes, which indicates that at least some portion of the fossil is not original, and I was wondering if anyone can say which parts of this trilobite are original fossil and which are not. Also, there is a split in the rock which divides the fossil in half at about the point where the cephalon meets the thorax (it looks further down from the bottom of the matrix, but from the top that’s where the crack is), so I suspect that this may be a composite. Thank you

I more than likely buy this fossil anyway because of its very low price--unless somebody spots something wrong, like it being two seperate bones stuck together But I figured I'd see if anyone can narrow down more what it's from. It's labelled as unidentified marine reptile rib from the Taouz Morocco. The seller says possible plesiosaur, mosasaur or crocodile. It is 9cm long. Probably very difficult to identify closer, really. It's a long shot, but hey, anyone has a better idea and can narrow it down so I can label it more precisely than "marine reptile rib" that would be great. Thanks very much.

Labelled as unidentified dinosaur claw, most likely a sauropod. Mentioned it's a baby claw. To me it looks like some sauropod claws I see for sale, just smaller--but it could easily be a turtle spur? 3/4" long. From Tegana Formation, Kem Kem Basin. Any help would be great.

Hi all, new member here. While searching for a gift for my mentors, who collect dinosaur fossils, I came across this (attached) Spinosaurus aegyptiacus tooth. Unfortunately, the vendor's website only has the two pictures attached. They're claiming it is 2-1/2" . Found at the "Kem Kem Region Of Morocco". I would love to hear your thoughts on whether this is real, or worth it at all. Thank you! Fabio

I saw this pair for sale, before buying, I figured I'd check if they are dino as listed rather than crocodile. If anyone could take a look, that would be great. Described as two caudal verts, larger one repaired. From Kem Kem Basin. They are small, the cube pictured is 1cm.

I posted for the first time today to get some help identifying some fossils my child found on her first fossil hunt, but while I’m here I figure I may as well get some opinions on this trilobite Ive got displayed — of all places — in my bathroom. In 2017 I was studying abroad short-term in Morocco (Fes, Rabat and Chefchaouen) and I passed by a stall in the souks that had a bucket full of various rocks and fossils. While I don’t know much about fossils, I did know that trilobites are often faked in Morocco, but decided that for what I was paying it really wouldn’t be worth the trouble for a faker AND it wasn’t a big risk to me if it was fake because I just liked how it looked. I brought it home and put it in my bathroom and have called it my “fake trilobite” ever since. However, since I’m now incidentally on this forum, I figured it would be fun to see what the expert opinion is! There are no little bubble holes that I can see, which I’ve read is the most obvious indication of a fake. There also seems to be caked dirt crusted in the crevices, and the entire thing seems to have a small area where it’s splitting lengthwise. Attaching best photos I can muster. Double A battery best I can do for scale. Don’t be afraid to hurt my feelings — I paid almost nothing and just love the way it looks anyway.

Hello all. I bought this very neat large framed fossil a while back and the label says; “Fossil Vertebrae Dinosaur Spinosaurus Or Reptile Mosasaurus” Since I’m puzzled as the dealer was, though I lean Mosasaurus, I’m hoping some of you can help me identify what it is that I have. Personally I’m happy with either, especially considering the crazy deal I got on this specimen. If more images are needed I’ll provide them. Thanks in advance.

HI, I purchased this Unidentified theropod tooth a few years ago from a seller that sold it as a "Raptor" tooth. It is from the Kem Kem beds from Morocco, during the late Cretaceous Period. It is 1.3 Centimetres (1/2 inch) long. The seller also mentioned that it may likely be from an Abelisaurid. I think that it is most likely an Abelisaurid tooth and I am looking forward to updating it's identification tag in my collection. Yet I need to be certain that I am correctly identifying this tooth. What are your thoughts about what this tooth could be? I apologize if I spelled/addressed the names incorrectly and I would thank you for the correction. Feel free to ask for better quality pictures if you need any.

Hey guys Saw this claw online. What do you think it’s from? It’s from Morocco. Is it spinosaurus? restored tip Thanks and regards.

Hello, this is my first post here. I've been collecting fossils for a long time and I've been questioning some of them for a while now, so I figured I would post some of them here for evaluation, and I'm starting with this trilobite. I purchased this trilobite on online about 20 years ago. It was described as an Acadoparadoxides fossil from Erfund, Morocco, and the fossil is about 11 inches long. Some of the matrix is definitely manmade, as if the stone were broken and then repaired and reinforced with some other material. I'm curious if the trilobite looks to be all original, partially original with some artificial repair work, or if the entire thing is a fake? Please let me know if you want more pics. Thanks.

Hello, I saw this for sale labelled as Siroccopterex claw. But, a google search of similar claws shows up the usual curved claw shape. Is this just a different pterosaur claw than usual or something else? It looks familiar to me, I've seen similar before but cant think where.

Latest from Morocco World News : https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/

I recently bought three teeth with the following description; Description Dinosaur Teeth - set of 3 - Spinosaurus, Deltadromeus & Siroccopteryx - 33×10×9 mm Cretaceous, Cenomanian, Kem Kem Fm. - Morocco Well preserved teeth of different dinosaur species: Spinosaurus maroccanus, Deltadromeus agilis and Siroccopteryx moroccoensis. No restoration, no reparation. Age: Cretaceous, Cenomanian, Kem Kem Fm. Locality: El Bega, Morocco Spinosaurus tooth size: 33 x 10 x 9 mm Deltadromeus tooth size: 16 x 7 x 3 mm Siroccopteryx tooth size: 12 x 3 x 2 mm Total weight: 5 g But I don’t have a lot of confidence in the ID, especially the ‘siroccopteryx’ It has been suggested that it may be a Pterosaur or even a fish. What are your thoughts?

Excellent paper that examines the geology and paleontology of what they call the Kem Kem Group that includes the lower Gara Sbaa and upper Douira formations . I will add that the authors view of the dinosaur assemblage in this fauna does not agree with recent publications from other paleontologists. Great images of croc teeth, dinosaur teeth and claws. It even discusses "that some geographic names are simple errors that gain traction in secondary citations. In a prominent compilation of dinosaur localities, for example, the term “Tegana Formation” was cited for the “Kem Kem beds” (Weishampel et al. 1990). This may have arisen as a misspelling of the “Tegama Group”, a name for Cretaceous age beds in Niger. Although the error was noted (Sereno et al. 1996), it has reappeared in subsequent publications (e.g., Bailey 1997, Kellner and Mader 1997, Taverne and Masey 1999, Weishampel et al. 2004)" Article ...PDF in that article is +100mb https://zookeys.pensoft.net/article/47517/

Corbacho, J. and Sendino, C., 2012. Fossil fakes and their recognition. Deposits Magazine, 30, pp.35-40. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/265208436_Fossil_fakes_and_their_recognition https://www.researchgate.net/publication/320686323_Fossil_fakes_and_their_recognition https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Joan_Corbacho Corbacho, J., I. Corbacho, S. Morrison, and M. Valent, 2015,. Latest techniques detected in the falsification of fossils. Batallería. vol. 22, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/284737545_Latest_techniques_detected_in_the_falsification_of_fossils Corbacho, J., Morrison, S., Llácer, S., and K. Hammond 2019, Use of CT Scanning and Radiography as Legal Expert Evidence in Paleontology (Trilobites of Morocco) American Journal of Life Sciences, 7(2), pp. 47-53 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/335176218_Use_of_CT_Scanning_and_Radiography_as_Legal_Expert_Evidence_in_Paleontology_Trilobites_of_Morocco https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Joan_Corbacho https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Use-of-CT-Scanning-and-Radiography-as-Legal-Expert-Corbacho-Morrison/63ac6432f865ccfa55d63a9ed97ef5dcde31607c Corbacho, J., 2019. Legal expert in paleontology: a new profession. trilobite Papers, 21, February. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/331260703_Legal_expert_in_paleontology_a_new_profession http://paleonet.org/TTP/TTP21.pdf Corbacho, J., Sendino, C. and Tahiri, M., 2011. Palaeontological fakes. Batalleria, 16, pp.37-45. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/265168169_Palaeontological_fakes_Falsificaciones_paleontologicas https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Joan_Corbacho Corbacho, J., Adserà, P. and de Barcelona, M.G.D.S., 2017. Sobre unas falsificaciones de fósiles de Tailandia. Batalleria (Barcelona): revista de paleontología, (24), pp.13-15. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/316669424_Sobre_unas_falsificaciones_de_fosiles_de_Tailandia Corbacho, J., Vela, J.A. and Cuevas, J.A., 2007. Falsificación de trilobites del norte de África. Batalleria, 13, pp.29-36. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/265168347_FALSIFICACION_DE_TRILOBITES_DEL_NORTE_DE_AFRICA Corbacho, J., 2008. Falsificación de fósiles del N. de África (no trilobites). Batalleria (Barcelona): revista de paleontología, (14), pp.49-56. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/265168516_FALSIFICACION_DE_FOSILES_DEL_N_DE_AFRICA_NO_TRILOBITES Corbacho, J., Corbacho, I., Morrison, S. and Valent, M., 2015. Últimas técnicas detectadas en la falsificación de fósiles. Batalleria, 22, pp.22-27. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/280938775_Ultimas_tecnicas_detectadas_en_la_falsificacion_de_fosiles A related web page. Avilés, J. 2017. To Identify Fossil Fakes: What You Need To Know: https://www.jurassic- dreams.com/pages/free-guide-how-to- identify-fossil-fakes-what- you-need-to-know Finally, a paper about authentic trilobite fossils. Giant Trilobites from Lower Ordovician of Morocco https://www.researchgate.net/publication/265168252_Giant_Trilobites_from_Lower_Ordovician_of_Morocco https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Joan_Corbacho Yours, Paul H.

Hi guys, I acquired this coral from a trade, It is from the Devonian of Morocco and I have not been successful in finding a proper ID for it. Any help is appreciated, Thank you. Misha

Hi, I'm trying to classify this trilobite, could it be phacops speculator or morocops ovatus? what is the difference? Thanks.

For sale is a large bone (50cm or 20 inches) from the Ouled Abdoun Basin in Morocco (phosphate mines). It is listed as a Pterosaur wing bone and i think the id is correct, however i have seen bones from the Ouled Abdoun Basin that have appeared labelled as from the psuedotooth birds (generally Odontopteryx Gigas), and i am not sure how to tell the difference. The biggest problem is that the seller who purchased it from someone else, has the locality listed as the Kem Kem - which is certainly incorrect and because of the incorrect fossil site, i can't know for sure if the fossil came from the Maastrichtian layers of the Ouled Abdoun Basin and i believe the Pterosaurs described from these layers are known primarily from Couche 3. So i guess based on the pictures provided, does anyone familiar with fossils from the locality know if it likely to be Pterosaur. Thanks in advance.