Jump to content

Theropod Metatarsal ID request Verification


Recommended Posts

Looking for confirmation on this theropod bone being sold.  Seller is identifying it as a theropod (Anzu?) Arctometatarsal from the Hell Creek of Montana, Powder River County..  10.4" Long.  They indicate it cannot definitely provide an ID but the giant raptor Anzu Wylie is a likely candidate be cause other material from this theropod has been found at the quarry.  What is a Arctometatarsal?

 

129793-8.jpg.648a7ad654baa5141e185c65d87cce42.jpg129793-6.jpg.f80d82a941fe94a6e349b245837a8b2d.jpg129793-5.jpg.2b3252d6e445fb4fac07f105bcfbf529.jpg

  • I found this Informative 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

You see this bone is tapered? That's because arctometatarsals are where the middle metatarsal is squeezed into a narrower state by the growth of the metatarsals on either side. 

  • I found this Informative 3

Life's Good!

Tortoise Friend.

MOTM.png.61350469b02f439fd4d5d77c2c69da85.png.a47e14d65deb3f8b242019b3a81d8160-1.png.60b8b8c07f6fa194511f8b7cfb7cc190.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A couple of comments before I get to the ID.   First Anzu wyliei is not a giant raptor its a genus of caenagnathid dinosaur.  There are only two raptors in the HC, Dakotaraptor and Acherorapter and Anzu is not one.   Not sure why sellers use raptor on a lot of items that they sell guess they believe it helps in the sales process.  Second have not seen arctometartasal ever used to identify a center metatarsal, in fact had to look up the word.  To me its a center metatarsal, Digit III of a theropod.

 

Regarding a possible ID,  Anzu wyliei would not be my call.  Just because other Anzu material has been found in a quarry that is not evidence enough to infer it belongs to that species.  Most quarries are multi-species.

 

 Anzu center metatarsal are not flatish, see photo, and the proximal end does not come to a V shape.

 

129793-8.jpg.648a7ad654baa5141e185c65d87cce42.jpg.385d7e432ad2917612259428962facdf.jpg

 

These are photos of the Anzu named Pearl and you can see that the center tarsal has a depression, wide U shape, where the one above is flat.  It also does not come to a V shape.D0k28V1W0AEoScp.thumb.jpeg.121a0b89d4175f86fe4874deaf1916a7.jpeg

 

I think a better canidate for this metatarsal is Struthiomimus which is flat and very V shaped at the proximal end.  A couple of photos that show these characteristics 

DbOb2g5V4AAidgw.jpg.17030885060508247ad1695a60a9e99e.jpgIMG_0588.thumb.jpg.2a782eca7d1cd3f757e3be67489bf454.jpg

 

BTW it's a very nice metatarsal and a super item for any collection

  • I found this Informative 8
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...