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Kem Kem, possible skull fragment ID


BioBob

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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.

 

20200520_120619.thumb.jpg.4a64bbe277ea21569cedd05dac3f65c9.jpg

Top view


20200520_120502.thumb.jpg.40b15ce7b7d201d4322907e02613aab8.jpg

Front view

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Here are some more images that I couldn't fit in the post.

 

20200520_195236.thumb.jpg.574071751ff54217bc96006875ff0db1.jpg

Back view

 

20200520_120521.thumb.jpg.3a6f2f4bb47e801bbb044bb2cc761059.jpg

Bottom view

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And the last image. An odd angle so the overall shape of the fossil is visible.20200520_120656.thumb.jpg.0fa197233df52cc96e12343af56e2bd7.jpg

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I don't think it's a neural arch. If you look at the "bottom view" image you'll see that what would be the neural spine is asymmetrical, one side is thicker than the other.

Edited by BioBob
Clarification
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I'm comparing it now to other material. But before I make any calls be careful on locality, a lot of sellers now label any kem kem material as coming from taouz the nearest town or begga the nearest village, and can confirm that matrix is not from the south in this location comes from between erfoud to goulmima.

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38 minutes ago, Haravex said:

I'm comparing it now to other material. But before I make any calls be careful on locality, a lot of sellers now label any kem kem material as coming from taouz the nearest town or begga the nearest village, and can confirm that matrix is not from the south in this location comes from between erfoud to goulmima.

Thank you for paying attention to that. I don't have much experience in distinguishing fossils from different parts of the Kem Kem. But I've noticed people often have trouble finding out where certain Kem Kem fossils actually come from.

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I remember seeing this piece when it was being sold online. I think it said Kem Kem at the time. the matrix looks very consistent with Kem Kem, so I personally see no reason to doubt this locality.

 

So I've seen it in pictures before, but I couldn't place it then either. Your new photos do help a little. We can see that the cortex is pretty thick where it's broken.

I think... That this might be the underside of a lateral process of a vertebra. That would explain why it's to asymmetric.

 

But for a proper ID I think this needs to be prepped out of the matrix so we can see the other side.

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Olof Moleman AKA Lord Trilobite

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    Tim    VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER

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6 minutes ago, LordTrilobite said:

I remember seeing this piece when it was being sold online. I think it said Kem Kem at the time. the matrix looks very consistent with Kem Kem, so I personally see no reason to doubt this locality.

 

So I've seen it in pictures before, but I couldn't place it then either. Your new photos do help a little. We can see that the cortex is pretty thick where it's broken.

I think... That this might be the underside of a lateral process of a vertebra. That would explain why it's to asymmetric.

 

But for a proper ID I think this needs to be prepped out of the matrix so we can see the other side.

Ok I didn't make myself clear, it is kem kem but just not from the south.

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I like what LordTrilobite said it does indeed look like the underside of a lateral process.  I kind of like how its sitting in the matrix and would leave it as is.

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In the "top view" image it is visible that it only has a small ridge of broken off bone and quite some cortex where you'd expect it to connect to the vert.

But the overall shape of the bone does look similar to a lateral process, although it doesn't exactly match any I've seen. Thanks for pointing it out.

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