Spinosaurus vertebra?

[Eskel]

Hello there!

 

I'm collecting fossils since I was a kid and I have a question, so I hope anybody can help.

I bought a fossil years ago at my local fossil and mineral fair in Germany from a maroccan trader. It should be a Spinosaurus vertebra. But I'm doubting about the authenticity. It was quite cheap. But it's a real vertebra? (and even from Spinosaurus?)

Thank you!

 

greetings,

 

Lilian

 

 

[Nanosaurus]

It is hard to say for certain from the photos and with the lack of scale, but it does resemble the centrum from the middle or more distal part of a spinosaur tail. 

[Troodon]

Hi Liian

Yes I agree its a centrum of a Spinosaurid.  In the future best to take straight in photos, not at obtuse angles and with a scale

 

[LordTrilobite]

Yes it's a real vertebra. And yes it does seems to fit with a mid distal caudal for a spinosaur. It's not from the tip of the tail since those have a strong horizontal pinch in the middle just below the neural canal. I don't see that feature here, so if it's spinosaur then it has to be further up the tail. Somewhere around the 31 position or possibly in front of that in the image that Nanosaurus posted seems a plausible position.

The vertebra is also lying up side down in the photos. The vertebra doesn't seem that big so I'd think it's more likely from an immature individual.

[Eskel]

Thank you very much!

I just did two further pics of the two sides and a measurement (in centimeters)

 

Edited April 30, 2022 by Eskel