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Just Aquired this Moroccan Claw


lesofprimus

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Hey guys, just picked up this unidentified claw at auction, and I'm trying to identify it as either a hand or foot claw. I've done some research including browsing the forum and I'm still undecided...

 

There is some restoration on it but my expert buddy believes it to be a hand claw...

 

Claw Location:

Taouz, South Morocco Geological Formation: Ifezouane Fm Age: Upper Cretaceous, Cenomanian stage (96 Million Years)

 

Size: 3.7cm = 1.45 Inch

 

After discussing this fossil with a few guys more knowledgeable than myself, including Troodon, there doesn't seem to be an identification possible.

 

We've ruled out crocodile or pterosaur, and came to the conclusion it is indeed a Theropod Hand Claw...

 

Any thoughts?

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Can you post a dorsal view like to see how thick it is.  Not sure you will get an ID with the back end missing and tip being restored.  Also hardly any claws are described from the KK just know seeing foot claws from Spinosaurid and Abelisaurid and this one does not look like either.  Most of the KK theropod material is indeterminate, hopefully some day we will get some answers

 

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Haven't received it yet, so those are the only photos I have right now... thanks for the reply.

1 hour ago, TyBoy said:

Can you post a dorsal view like to see how thick it is.  Not sure you will get an ID with the back end missing and tip being restored.  Also hardly any claws are described from the KK just know seeing foot claws from Spinosaurid and Abelisaurid and this one does not look like either.  Most of the KK theropod material is indeterminate, hopefully some day we will get some answers

 

 

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 I went through my collection of claws and came up with this one that is the closest match size and shape.   No hard idea what its from, best guess a Noasauridae foot claw.  When you receive the claw would like straight in photos of both sides and the dorsal edge so I can try to do a better comparative check of both side using same angles.  

 

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On 10/13/2021 at 4:34 PM, TyBoy said:

 

 

 

On 10/14/2021 at 11:30 AM, Troodon said:

 I went through my collection of claws and came up with this one that is the closest match size and shape.   No hard idea what its from, best guess a Noasauridae foot claw.  When you receive the claw would like straight in photos of both sides and the dorsal edge so I can try to do a better comparative check of both side using same angles.  

 

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Excellent info, thanks for digging it up... the claw is being shipped so I definitely will take many pics and see how it compares... thanks again!!!!

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On 10/14/2021 at 11:30 AM, Troodon said:

 I went through my collection of claws and came up with this one that is the closest match size and shape.   No hard idea what its from, best guess a Noasauridae foot claw.  When you receive the claw would like straight in photos of both sides and the dorsal edge so I can try to do a better comparative check of both side using same angles.  

 

737393062_20171217_0007-Copy(2).jpg.d81023e5ae53543799ff391a80caf9c3.jpg

Interesting call on the Noasauridae, as looking into this listing, the only one I can see that's described from Morocco is Deltadromeus.... hmmmmm.

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Might be Deltadromeus but Im not willing to say we know what theropods have yet to be described since we know very little or that the ones described are valid...things will change thats a promise.  Thats the danger of putting anything down but indeterminate why I said a guess.  Was just a process of elimination.  

 

Lets take teeth, the most abundant theropod item in the KK.   If you accept that there are multiple Spinosaurids there is not a tooth you can put a species name to no less a genus name.  Everything should be identified to a family name (Spinosaurid, Carcharodontosaurid etc) or called indeterminate yet most collectors and dealers identify them to a species level.   Claws are worst since we know significantly less.

 

Unfortunately collectors want to put a species name to everything why sellers feel obliged to put a name on everything they sell from the KK Group.   Not possible in the KK.  I'll get off my soapbox. 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

The indeterminate KemKem Claw just came in, so here's some more photos of it... as Frank has pointed out;

 

"I can say its not a Abelisaurid or Spinosaurid but beyond that we dont know what all the different digits of Carcharodontosaurids, Noasaurids or Megaraptoran claws look like in the KK group."

 

 

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We have very little information on the claws from the Kem Kem Group,  I keep saying that,  so trying to put an ID on this one is a huge guess which I'm not willing to make, its indeterminate.   More photos just will not help.  We don't even know how many theropods are in this fauna.   In addition your claw is just the center section of one so we don't even know what it looks like.   There is a chance that the one show below might be what it might look like but that's a guess and that claw is an Indeterminate Theropod.  Sorry I cannot provide you more information.

 

20211027_154810.jpg.801c066ad3073d69eca779233137b8312.thumb.jpg.686048f494878f1528c2035a08a4dc6d.jpg

 

 

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23 minutes ago, Troodon said:

We have very little information on the claws from the Kem Kem Group,  I keep saying that,  so trying to put an ID on this one is a huge guess which I'm not willing to make, its indeterminate.   More photos just will not help.  We don't even know how many theropods are in this fauna.   In addition your claw is just the center section of one so we don't even know what it looks like.   There is a chance that the one show below might be what it might look like but that's a guess and that claw is an Indeterminate Theropod.  Sorry I cannot provide you more information.

 

20211027_154810.jpg.801c066ad3073d69eca779233137b8312.thumb.jpg.686048f494878f1528c2035a08a4dc6d.jpg

 

 

737393062_20171217_0007-Copy(2).jpg.d81023e5ae53543799ff391a80caf9c3.jpg.1fbbe446f5f7df95e851e7e0aacedbb2.jpg

Thanks again for looking...

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