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Compelling unidentified scratch marks


Ben Daniels

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Hi TFF community,

I recently purchased this small piece of Hadrosaur rib section originating from the Lance Creek Formation, Weston County, Wyoming. My question isn't to identify the Hadrosaur species (as its likely an Edmontosaurus sp. however if anyone can say with confidence then please do let me know!). My question is to ask if anyone can give more information or speculation towards what these curious scratch marks could be. The listing mentioned them possibly coming from a juvenile dromaeosaurid however I have my doubts based on the size of the markings but that's just my armature assumption. The markings show 3 scratches moving down the rib section, all of which are evenly spaces at 2.5mm away from each other and are in the classic theropod foot position. I've done some quick research towards the small flighted bird species that hail from the Lance Creek Formation but cant find much to match the size of these marks. I understand that these markings may also just be random damage that has been caused during the time this fragment has been buried, but opinion from others will be greatly appreciated. The fossil is 42mm x 24mm approx. I've also attached a microscopic look of the middle marking at 40x magnification if that helps.

Thank you all for your time and help :)       

20220328_132510.jpg

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Not sure, could be bite marks. 

Picture of Tyrannosaurus bone with bite marks. Photo Credit Feedloader

20110520083244tyrannosaurus-damaged-bones.png.a52f12292b3bc3bedea17b6e516def71.png

  • I found this Informative 1

:trex::brokebone: Enthusiastic Fossil Hunter bone_brokerev.pngtrexrev.png

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Likely bite marks. We often find bones with definite bite or claw marks. It's what happens when you get gnawed on by a dinosaur with massive teeth. 

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Difficult to say what what bone is and from what animal just from these images.  I think its hard to definitively determine if these are bitemarks.  All I will say is that its possible and cannot be discounted.  The hole you are showing in the micro picture is not what I would expect to see from a theropod tooth.

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