talon22 Posted June 18, 2018 Share Posted June 18, 2018 Hi, Saw this hand claw for sale and wanted to know if it is real. I am a bit suspicious because the tip has a different texture to the back half of the claw. Not sure if there is any repair/restoration but wanted to check to make sure that it isn't a composite. The claw is 4.8cm long and from the Kem Kem (this is the only information the seller has listed). Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Troodon Posted June 18, 2018 Share Posted June 18, 2018 Wow could be a composite hard to positively say. The dorsal view there is a slight difference in width between front and back half. Could also be that the claw was broken in several areas, see arrows, and in the middle and poorly joined with fill. Then there is the difference in texture. If broken could have been in different in matrix hence preservation differences, doubt it but? Fill area suggesting its reassembled or composited. Is it a theropod claw cannot say for sure. Kem Kem claws are very poorly understood. Its not your typical theropod slam dunk claw morphology. Its length versus narrowness could suggest Crocodyilomorph just dont have answers. I would pass for one with more certainty, why risk it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
talon22 Posted June 18, 2018 Author Share Posted June 18, 2018 Thanks Troodon, if real it looks like a great claw to have, but there are too many doubts and hard to tell if that fill is because it was broken or if it is indeed a composite. Like you said i will pass since it is too big of a risk to spend a lot of money on it. Interesting about the possibility of it not being theropod, i thought for sure it was theropod (then again i know little about claws). Thanks again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Troodon Posted June 18, 2018 Share Posted June 18, 2018 We've had some discussion on this morphology of claw and have discussed everything from Pterosaur to Theropod. Its uncertain and until its supported by scientific evidence its indeterminate. I'm leaning to a theropod but have very little to support that diagnoses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LordTrilobite Posted June 18, 2018 Share Posted June 18, 2018 That's a definitely composite. And I don't think the back is even part of a claw. It looks like natural bone that has been sculptured into the shape of a claw so that it would fit the tip of the real claw. Olof Moleman AKA Lord Trilobite Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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