Robichello Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 Hello, I want to surprise you with one of the best pieces in my collection, a Pterosaur jaw recently arrived! It come from Morocco (soon more details). I would like to have your opinion about the species... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 (edited) It looks more robust than any pterosaur jaw I have ever seen. Looks more fishy to me - kind of like Enchodus or Xiphactinus. Hmmmm. Who ID'd it as pterosaur? The seller? It is nice, whatever it is. Regards, Edited February 19, 2015 by Fossildude19 Tim - VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER VFOTM --- APRIL - 2015 __________________________________________________ "In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks." John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~ ><))))( *> About Me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robichello Posted February 19, 2015 Author Share Posted February 19, 2015 (edited) It looks more robust than any pterosaur jaw I have ever seen. Looks more fishy to me - kind of like Enchodus or Xiphactinus. Hmmmm. Who ID'd it as pterosaur? The seller? It is nice, whatever it is. Regards, Yes, was the seller who identify it as Pterosaur... Anyway looking the single pterosaur teeth, mine looks similar, or I am wrong? Edited February 19, 2015 by Robichello Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnJ Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 It looks more robust than any pterosaur jaw I have ever seen. Looks more fishy to me - kind of like Enchodus or Xiphactinus. Hmmmm. Who ID'd it as pterosaur? The seller? It is nice, whatever it is. Regards, Agreed. Looks like Xiphactinus to me. More. The human mind has the ability to believe anything is true. - JJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Troodon Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 Agreed its one of those fishs with pterosaur teeth placed in the jaw. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 With Moroccan dealers, I wonder if what they are selling as pterosaur teeth are actually fish teeth? I wouldn't be surprised. Regards, Tim - VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER VFOTM --- APRIL - 2015 __________________________________________________ "In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks." John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~ ><))))( *> About Me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Troodon Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 They are masters deceiving people, anything's possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robichello Posted February 19, 2015 Author Share Posted February 19, 2015 If it is confirmed, I will surprise myself more than you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Troodon Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 The attached image is not a pterosaur species from Morocco but what a typical jaw with teeth looks like. Sleek with a tapered snout. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheCounts Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 Siroccopteryx moroccoensis? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Dente Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 I think it is a Cladocyclus jaw - http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?/topic/52396-vertebrae-jaw-kem-kem/?hl=xiphactinus#entry562869 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Troodon Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 Looks identical now are the teeth real or placed. Since its all covered with matrix my guess continues to be they are placed in the jaw. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnJ Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 I think it is a Cladocyclus jaw - http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?/topic/52396-vertebrae-jaw-kem-kem/?hl=xiphactinus#entry562869 I think you nailed it, again, Eric. The human mind has the ability to believe anything is true. - JJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 Link to the paper. Regards, 1 Tim - VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER VFOTM --- APRIL - 2015 __________________________________________________ "In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks." John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~ ><))))( *> About Me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpc Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 (edited) Nice catch on the Cladocyclus.. I'm sold. Nice jaw, by the way. Not a pterosaur, but nice fossil anyway. Edited February 19, 2015 by jpc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siteseer Posted February 20, 2015 Share Posted February 20, 2015 Tim, There are smaller Kem Kem Beds specimens that have been tentatively identified as pterosaur teeth (Kellner and Mader, 1997). They discussed them this way, "Although far from conclusive...most consistent with the teeth of some pterosaurs, particularly the anhanguerids from the Early Cretaceous Santana Formation of northeastern Brazil." Any small sharp tooth that is apparently not crocodile or dinosaur is going to be a candidate for a pterosaur among some dealers because fish teeth do not sell well. I have seen Anhanguera on many labels over the past few years even though the source quote could not be said to be more than tentative in the level of professional confidence in the identification. Some dealers will go with whatever name they can get because they know "undescribed" does not sell. That's why you see names for the little dinosaur teeth from there even though they have yet to be described as well. No one has found a skeleton nor even a skull with those teeth attached. Dinosaurs have been given names based only on isolated teeth in the past, but these days, researchers wait for at least a jaw or more substantial partial remains before proposing a name. Unfortunately, while the Kem Kem Beds have yielded a lot of isolated teeth and bones, they have not produced much in the way of associated remains. At Tucson a couple of weeks ago, a paleontologist showed me a bone he bought from one of the dealers. He likes to go through flats of Kem Kem stuff to see if he can find anything weird. He considered it distinctly pterosaur. Jess Kellner, A.W and B.J. Mader. 1997. Archosaur teeth from the Cretaceous of Morocco. Journal of Paleontology. 71 (3):525-327. With Moroccan dealers, I wonder if what they are selling as pterosaur teeth are actually fish teeth? I wouldn't be surprised. Regards, 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted February 20, 2015 Share Posted February 20, 2015 Tim, There are smaller Kem Kem Beds specimens that have been tentatively identified as pterosaur teeth (Kellner and Mader, 1997). They discussed them this way, "Although far from conclusive...most consistent with the teeth of some pterosaurs, particularly the anhanguerids from the Early Cretaceous Santana Formation of northeastern Brazil." Any small sharp tooth that is apparently not crocodile or dinosaur is going to be a candidate for a pterosaur among some dealers because fish teeth do not sell well. I have seen Anhanguera on many labels over the past few years even though the source quote could not be said to be more than tentative in the level of professional confidence in the identification. Some dealers will go with whatever name they can get because they know "undescribed" does not sell. That's why you see names for the little dinosaur teeth from there even though they have yet to be described as well. No one has found a skeleton nor even a skull with those teeth attached. Dinosaurs have been given names based only on isolated teeth in the past, but these days, researchers wait for at least a jaw or more substantial partial remains before proposing a name. Unfortunately, while the Kem Kem Beds have yielded a lot of isolated teeth and bones, they have not produced much in the way of associated remains. At Tucson a couple of weeks ago, a paleontologist showed me a bone he bought from one of the dealers. He likes to go through flats of Kem Kem stuff to see if he can find anything weird. He considered it distinctly pterosaur. Jess Kellner, A.W and B.J. Mader. 1997. Archosaur teeth from the Cretaceous of Morocco. Journal of Paleontology. 71 (3):525-327. Thanks Jess! I appreciate your taking the time to explain this. Makes perfect sense. Regards, Tim - VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER VFOTM --- APRIL - 2015 __________________________________________________ "In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks." John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~ ><))))( *> About Me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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