Spinosaurus claws

[Nerdy]

Hi all. Since I've started playing Ark, I've become really obsessed with spinos so I am trying to learn as much as I can about spinos fossils. 

Here are two fossils advertised as Spinosaurus claws that I've found online. Even if they are totally out of my budget, I'm really curious to know what you'll think about them.

 

Here is a first fossil:

 

As the grain seems to follow the blood groove, my bet would be that this claw is real (with glue+sand restoration on the tip). However, as I saw some Carcharodontosaurus foot claws online that look pretty much the same, I'm not entirely sure about the identification.

 

Second fossil:

 

The pics are a little bit blurry on that one but it also seems like an interesting example.

 

Again, this hand claw seems to pass the "grain following blood grooves" check. However, I've read Troodon's post about the new kind of Spinosaurid recently discovered in Kem Kem so... I'm kinda confused.

 

Regards:)

[Troodon]

Hi Nerdy 

The foot claw looks very real and a nice one.  The tip looks fine but a better view would determine if the tip has been repaired with the little sand that is on it.  The articulation may have some repair would need a better straight in photo to see how much.   I cannot say for sure it's Spinosaurid but without looking at the base so if you have that view please post it but it does look Spinosaurid from the current angles.

 

The hand claw also looks good and I don't believe it's fabricated.  Sharper pictures can determine if there is any repair hard to tell with the current images.

 

 

[sseth]

These claws look very nice, with what appear to be only minor repairs.  Better pictures would help.  Most likely spinosaurus.  Foot could also be something like Carcharodontosaurus but need a few more pictures to tell better what is is.

[Troodon]

Forgot your other point.

There are two Spinosaurids currently described in the Kem Kem:  

Spinosaurus aegyptiacus and Sigilmassasaurus brevicollis

There is no way to differentiate the two when it comes to feet and hand claws since we do not have articulated skeletons with these elements.  All material including teeth should be described as Spinosaurid.

 

 

[Susan from PA]

I agree that both claws look like nice specimens.  .    Specimens such as these are often hard to find from this region.  The hand claw appears to be Spinosaurid, and one of the nicest ones I've seen in a while.  

[Troodon]

I was able to find a couple of good illustrations of a Spinosaurid claw   The circled area is the depression is what I'm looking for on the claw you posted.  

 

This image is from the paper which reconfigures Spinosaurus