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Specimens we need to be cautious about buying


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I continue to see collectors get scammed on items they are buying on auction and online dealer sites. So I thought it would be good to revisit a few of my favorite ones.

Dromaeosaurus species teeth from the Hell Creek or Lance Formation.

There are only two Dromaeosaurids described from these formations : Dakotaraptor and Acheroraptor and Dromaeosaurus is not one of them. Dromaeosaurid's have two important characteristics to look for , they are recurved and the Mesial serrations are much finer that the Distal ones. Most teeth being sold are probably juvenile Nanotyrannus like the one I show in the photo that is described as a Dromaeosaurus.

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Nuthetes theropod teeth from France

There is still a question if this is a valid taxon but that is not my issue in this discussion. If valid, Nuthetes is a Dromaeosaurid/Velociraptorinae so it need to exhibit the morphology of one. The ones being sold are triangular in shape and have similiar serration on both edges, like in the photo. A Nuthetes tooth should be recurved with Mesial and Distal serrations very different. Most being sold should be identified Theropod indet.

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Sarcosuchus teeth from the Kem Kem of Morroco

There are over 8 different Croc species described from the Kem Kem and Sarcosuchus is not one of them. It may exist in this fauna but the odds of one being available for sale are low and difficult to differentiate with other species. This is what is typically sold.

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Pterosaur claws from the Kem Kem of Morroco

There listing usually talks about how rare and special these claws are and why you need to purchase it. Well I do not believe there are pterosaur but do not know what they are. The most common description Ive heard is fish gill rakers. If they were claws the proximal end would have an articulation surface and not be flat. I've seen these for sale up to $1,100 USD

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Kem Kem theropod claws

Fabricated claws from this region unfortunately is a common occurrence. One needs to be very diligent when buying these claws and the dealer may not even be aware they are fake. Don't hesitate to bounce concerns off forum members. They are usually expensive and sometimes hard to recognize.

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Daspletosaurus teeth

There are three Tyrannosaurid's from the Judith River and Two Medicine Formations: Gorgosaurus, Albertosaurus and Daspletosaurus. Teeth under 3" are indistinguishable between one another and you should not pay a premium or purchase it because it's being sold as Daspletosaurus. Albertosaurus teeth can get over 3" .

Deltadromeus teeth from the Kem Kem of Morroco

Although described from the Kem Kem we have yet to understand what these teeth look like since no skull has ever been found. Pure speculation on those being sold as one.

Rugops teeth from the Kem Kem of Morroco

This is a species that has been described from Niger and not the Kem Kem. Its an Abelisaurid, so teeth being sold as that may be from this animal but until a skull is described it's pure speculation.

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I was fossil hunting this week with my mentor, and we were talking about how my local rock and mineral group is having their annual auction. The conversation eventually turned to purchasing fossils. Basically, I was told to simply not buy anything that comes from Morocco period. From what I gather there are so many fakes from that area that it's simply not even worth it to purchase anything from there.

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I understand where you are coming from but there are a lot of beautiful teeth from that region , it's a shame to ignore them. Teeth are typically not faked although one needs to be careful of restoration and with large Spino teeth some are lengthened. I think experienced collectors on this forum can help diagnose potential issues so if you see something your interested in bounce it off the forum before you buy. The problems are mostly with matrix items.

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the best way to buy safely moroccan stuff is to build a strong relationship with one of the guys over there , make some trips , collect yourself under his advice , and eventually listen to his insight when buying stuff. These guys are far ,far more advanced on the learning curve for forged fossils than you will ever be ...

There might be a second way , though , if you could check the fossils with a portable X-ray scan ..( does it exist ? :P ) .

That being said , there are really beauties , so as Troodon said , it would be a shame to ignore them .

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Another one to add would be Suchomimus teeth. Many times the ones being sold online are either croc teeth from Niger or Spino teeth from Morocco.

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the best way to buy safely moroccan stuff is to build a strong relationship with one of the guys over there , make some trips , collect yourself under his advice , and eventually listen to his insight when buying stuff. These guys are far ,far more advanced on the learning curve for forged fossils than you will ever be ...

There might be a second way , though , if you could check the fossils with a portable X-ray scan ..( does it exist ? :P ) .

That being said , there are really beauties , so as Troodon said , it would be a shame to ignore them .

Speaking of X-Ray scans, one way to check your fossils would be to become good friends with your dentist. In my office, we have "occlusal" films that are 2"x3" in length. You can use one, or put a few together in succession for larger fossils. Everything that is repaired, will show up as radiolucent and everything that is fossil shows radiopaque, or a bright white. You can see that the tip was broken off of my T.rex tooth and repaired. There is also a large repair near the root in the mesial surface.

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Just came across another that is deserving

Kem Kem Repairs with Matrix

Excessive matrix on or around a tooth or a bone is usually an indication of a repair. The Moroccan fossils factory typically does use conventional putty/paint to repair fossils they simply use matrix and glue. Not only is it used to hide a defect like a hole or crack but to join two differerent specimens together to make it look like it's from the same animal. This is also done on teeth to patch two together to make one or to lengthen a Spinosaurid tooth.

Best recommendation is to stay away from material with matrix repairs. There is enough of the clean ones to go around, so be patient in buying.

Example of a matrix repairs on a Sawfish rostral spine. Tip was added, probably from another animal

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Lengthened Spinosaurus Tooth

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I feel that sometimes it can be worth getting the lesser looking specimens, even if they are a bit dubious. If the price is appropriate of course. Because if you know you're getting something that might have repairs or might have been tampered with for a low price. Really, you can only win if the specimen turns out better than you though. And if your original suspicions are correct and you don't have a very nice fossil. You've got more experience in identifying such fakes for a low price.

Olof Moleman AKA Lord Trilobite

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If you are an experienced collector with have a good view, some luck it's possible to have a win. However it's not an approach I would recommend to most.

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Great thread!

One more I'd add on is Archaeocete teeth from the Sahara Desert/Morocco/Dahkla, often sold as "Basilosaurus" teeth. Even some of the best experts I know make this mistake.

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There's really no way to definitively assign them to Basilosaurus; they are just as likely to be Zygorhiza, Dorudon or other large primitive whales. As quoted by Boesse in this thread > http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?/topic/60842-basilosaurus-teeth-how-do-we-tell-the-real-ones/

"Unlikely, given that these are all anterior teeth which are morphologically uninformative amongst archaeocetes. Gingerich and Zouhri (2015) just reported a middle Eocene archaeocete fauna from Morocco but found no Basilosaurus - instead a large basilosaurid, formerly considered a protocetid - Eocetus schweinfurthi - is known instead. The basilosaurid Platyosphys and possibly the protocetid Pappocetus are additional candidates for these teeth."

and

"Jackson Group, Mississippi-Alabama region in the US is pretty much the only place you can legally get Basilosaurus worldwide - other place is Egypt, but fossils and antiquities are very regulated and the Basilosaurus locality - Wadi al Hitan - is essentially like a national park of sorts (UNESCO World Heritage site)."

Looking forward to meeting my fellow Singaporean collectors! Do PM me if you are a Singaporean, or an overseas fossil-collector coming here for a holiday!

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  • 3 months later...

Another one that kind of goes along with Deltadromeus is Bahariasaurus teeth being sold even though there's been no skeletal material found. Correctly labeling these teeth would be Theropod indet.

One more to add, even though very common is the "African T-Rex" which is really a Carchardontosaurus. Dealers use this term in order to grab the buyer's attention. Our favorite auction site and other online stores are littered with this.

Always do your research before you buy and know what you're getting!

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Thanks Runner64, my advice on folks wanting to purchase Moroccan Dinosaur material is to post first before you buy. Lots of sellers are not knowledgeable with this material.

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