Tips for methods of checking Spinosaurid jawbone for legitimacy?

[microraptorian]

I am examining a labial section of the maxilla with 6 alveoli, it breaks off at the anterior fenestra, includes a part of the antorbital fossa, and also a part of the external naris. It's from Morocco, the Kem Kems more specifically, and that's the most information I've got on its origin, unfortunately.

 

 

It's quite heavy -- dense, more specifically -- and it seems to match up as Spinosaurine anatomically. It comes with unoriginal teeth which I'm going to most likely remove in order to check for adhesives to make sure they're not original by shining it under UV light.

 

 

What are some other ways to test for signs of artificial tampering with the fossil? Is there anything I should look out for in particular? 

 

 

I'd prefer not to attach pictures as I do not own the bone.

 

Edit: Additionally, the bone has a rather shiny appearance, almost a translucence. I was wondering if this was the result of polishing? It is orange-red-brown, which seems to match up with the iron oxide found in the Kem Kem formation.

Edited February 23, 2017 by microraptorian

[FossilDudeCO]

Without pictures it will be tough to give any advice.

 

I know @Troodon and @Susan from PA are really great with all things dinosaur, but they mostly deal with Hell Creek I believe.

 

We can give them a try though!

[Susan from PA]

1 hour ago, FossilDudeCO said:

Without pictures it will be tough to give any advice.

 

I know @Troodon and @Susan from PA are really great with all things dinosaur, but they mostly deal with Hell Creek I believe.

 

We can give them a try though!

I mostly deal with Hell Creek material, but I'd be glad to help, if I can.  It's really difficult to give any advice without pictures.  If you would like to send me a private message with pictures, you are welcome to do so.   

 

@Troodon has a great post on Kem Kem dinosaurs that might help.  Here is the link. 

 

 

[LordTrilobite]

Without photos it will be difficult indeed. Perhaps you could ask the owner permission for posting photos?

 

Regardless. Typically when Kem Kem fossils have been tampered with, there will probably be an excess of matrix on the piece. Sometimes unrelated pieces are glued together and extra matrix with glue is added to hide the joins. In my experience this extra matrix is generally very dense due to the glue in between the grains of sand. Often if the matrix has not been tampered with or consolidated it will likely come off more easily. Even though the grains of sand might be caked on to the fossil a little. They can often be removed with a dental pick. If there's glue present the matrix layer will be a lot harder to remove. Though in some cases incredibly hard concretions can also be present that are even harder and very difficult to remove. You'll feel the difference though when prepping. Glue gives way a little bit and thus feels softer. The hard concretions full of iron do not give way.

 

As for the teeth. I would suggest prepping around the teeth first to see if the matrix seems natural or that is has been tampered with.

 

I also have a few bones from Kem Kem that have the same very shiny almost translucent surface you are describing. A few vertebrae have this. Though I am not certain of the identification on those. I also have a Pterosaur beak that has these same properties, but the surface seems flakier than that of crocs and dinosaurs. It seems almost fish-like, which also have bones that seem a little more translucent sometimes.

But a shiny surface does not mean it has been polished. It could just mean that the bone surface is just of really good quality. It's best to look at it from under a microscope to be sure.

[microraptorian]

4 hours ago, LordTrilobite said:

Without photos it will be difficult indeed. Perhaps you could ask the owner permission for posting photos?

 

Regardless. Typically when Kem Kem fossils have been tampered with, there will probably be an excess of matrix on the piece. Sometimes unrelated pieces are glued together and extra matrix with glue is added to hide the joins. In my experience this extra matrix is generally very dense due to the glue in between the grains of sand. Often if the matrix has not been tampered with or consolidated it will likely come off more easily. Even though the grains of sand might be caked on to the fossil a little. They can often be removed with a dental pick. If there's glue present the matrix layer will be a lot harder to remove. Though in some cases incredibly hard concretions can also be present that are even harder and very difficult to remove. You'll feel the difference though when prepping. Glue gives way a little bit and thus feels softer. The hard concretions full of iron do not give way.

 

As for the teeth. I would suggest prepping around the teeth first to see if the matrix seems natural or that is has been tampered with.

 

I also have a few bones from Kem Kem that have the same very shiny almost translucent surface you are describing. A few vertebrae have this. Though I am not certain of the identification on those. I also have a Pterosaur beak that has these same properties, but the surface seems flakier than that of crocs and dinosaurs. It seems almost fish-like, which also have bones that seem a little more translucent sometimes.

But a shiny surface does not mean it has been polished. It could just mean that the bone surface is just of really good quality. It's best to look at it from under a microscope to be sure.

 

The bone is not preserved in matrix, and there is a layer of white flaky material which appears to be dried adhesive under one of the teeth which broke off.