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Good evening everyone,

 

Does anyone have an explanation why there are so many theropod teeth from Kem Kem available (Carcharodontosaur, Spinosaur) while there aren't way as many herbivore teeth being offered from that area? Shouldn't herbivores have outnumbered the theropods by a lot? 

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From what I know, there are two reasons for this. The first is collecting bias. The commercial fossil hunters know that they can sell a predatory "pop culture dinosaur" tooth for more than a herbivorous dinosaur tooth. The second specifically pertains to Spinosaurus teeth. As they likely ate a lot of fish, the food source could pertain to a much larger Spinosaurus population without other dinosaurs for it to eat. However, I think the first one is the most important.

It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt

 

-Mark Twain

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I don't know if this is true or not, but a predatory dinosaur may have also shed more teeth biting in to bone and carcasses than a herbivorous dinosaur. However, there are plenty of triceratops "spit teeth" in the hell creek formation, so I don't this makes too much of a difference either.

It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt

 

-Mark Twain

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Hmm, so it's likely that a lot of herbivore (spit) teeth are just left out there? I do see quite a bit of rebacchisaur teeth being offered, but no other teeth..

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Dinosaurs in the Kem Kem Group are primarily represented by theropods and sauropods as well as a large ornithischian footprint and a possible thyreophoran tooth.   Theropods however dominate dinosaur fossils over sauropods.  A number of publications have been written to speculate why the imbalance exists between herbivores and Theropods.   Most point to an unbalance food web and has been supported by Ibrahim et al latest publication (Geology & Paleontology of the Kem Kem Group in Eastern Morocco) 2020.     The Delta plains and nearshore environments may have provided aquatic food while limiting areas for available vegetation needed for large bodied herbivores.  So its all about the paleoenvironment that offered unfavorable conditions for setting up of a stable terrestrial vegetation needed by those herbivores and favored aquatic life that fed the Theropods.  With all the digging that is going on in the KK by locals its unlikely that herbivore teeth other that sauropods are being overlooked.  Nothing is wasted by the diggers.

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26 minutes ago, PetrosTrilobite said:


I wish to learn more about Kem Kem thyreophora!

It was found in the Douira Formation. From Ibrahim et al paper tgey cite the low number of denticles, basal cingulum and absence of tooth-to-tooth wear facets are consistent with the form and function of a ornithischian tooth, possibly from a thyreophoran.  

Screenshot_20210307-134317_Drive.jpg.419fa664002dedfac1d9b9beaa2f7458.jpg

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The following articles might help you,better than what I could explain,if you want some other references just send a message.

 

-Beevor, Thomas & Quigley, Aaron & Smith, Roy & Smyth, Robert & Ibrahim, Nizar & Zouhri, Samir & Martill, David. (2020). Taphonomic evidence supports an aquatic lifestyle for Spinosaurus. Cretaceous Research. 117. 10.1016/j.cretres.2020.104627.

 

-Richter, Ute & Mudroch, Alexander & Buckley, Lisa. (2012). Isolated theropod teeth from the Kem Kem Beds (Early Cenomanian) near Taouz, Morocco. Paläontologische Zeitschrift. 87. 10.1007/s12542-012-0153-1. 

 

-Fanti, Federico & Cau, Andrea & Martinelli, Agnese & Contessi, Michela. (2014). Integrating palaeoecology and morphology in theropod diversity estimation: A case from the Aptian-Albian of Tunisia. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. 410. 39–57. 10.1016/j.palaeo.2014.05.033. 

 

-Benyoucef, Madani & Läng, Emilie & Cavin, Lionel & MEBARKI, Kaddour & Mohammed, Adaci & Bensalah, Mustapha. (2015). Overabundance of piscivorous dinosaurs (Theropoda: Spinosauridae) in the mid-Cretaceous of North Africa: The Algerian dilemma. Cretaceous Research. 55. 10.1016/j.cretres.2015.02.002. 

 

 -Sales MAF, Lacerda MB, Horn BLD, de Oliveira IAP, Schultz CL (2016) The “χ” of the Matter: Testing the Relationship between Paleoenvironments and Three Theropod Clades. PLoS ONE 11(2): e0147031. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0147031

Edited by MBL13
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I would also add:

 

Unbalanced food web in a Late Cretaceous dinosaur assemblage..
Emilie Läng , Larbi Boudad, Laszlo Maio, Elias Samankassou, Jérôme Tabouelle, Haiyan Tong, Lionel Cavin 

July 2013

Palaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoecology s 381–382:26–32

DOI: 10.1016/j.palaeo.2013.04.011

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/256822361_Unbalanced_food_web_in_a_Late_Cretaceous_dinosaur_assemblage

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