ID: Large Dinosaur Caudal Vertebra

[Troodon]

On 5/2/2018 at 7:11 AM, BigJim2500 said:

Troodon, 

 

I think that Alamosaur or similar titanosaur makes the most sense. The guy I got the bone from and the collector he got it from didn’t seem to know to much in regards to dinosaurs (they were the ones who guess Acrocanthosaurus), so it’s possible that the collector just found something in the general area and called it Aguja. Only reason I’m skeptical about that is that he did also have a dorsal vert from Agujaceratops, but it could be he just mixed some things up. Either way sense it seems to be titanosauriforme I still got a good price for it. I don’t think that there is any way it could be from somewhere like the Morrison, because it doesn’t seem like saying it’s from a formation that obscure would drive up the value in anyway.

Unfortunately dealers and collectors like to put common recognized names on items they are selling.  If they think it's the Aguja Fm and Ceratopsian it's Agujaceratops and if hadrosaurian it's Kritosaurus.   All wrong...to may other species it could fit.

 

I don't believe the Morrison extends into Texas if it does only the very northern tip.   Do you have a locality more specific than Texas?  How did they arrive at calling it Aguja? 

 

[BigJim2500]

2 minutes ago, Troodon said:

Unfortunately dealers and collectors like to put common recognized names on items they are selling.  If they think it's the Aguja Fm and Ceratopsian it's Agujaceratops and if hadrosaurian it's Kritosaurus.   All wrong...to may other species it could fit.

 

I don't believe the Morrison extends into Texas if it does only the very northern tip.   Do you have a locality more specific than Texas?  How did they arrive at calling it Aguja? 

 

Well, the person I got if from said that he knew the guy who had collected it, and that that guy works in the area near Big Bend National Park. He also had it listed as being from Aguja, but then again they also had it listed as being likely Acrocanthosaurus so I don’t know how much he can be trusted on his knowledge. I don’t think there is any possibility that it is that far north though.

[Troodon]

That's pretty informative.  If it was the Big Bend area you are looking at the either the Aguja or Javelina Fm.   If we can accept that's it's an Titanosauriform you then either have an undescribed Titanosauriform from the Aguja, which is possible, or Alamosaurus from the Javelina.  Either is pretty cool.  

[BigJim2500]

Just now, Troodon said:

That's pretty informative.  If it was the Big Bend area you are looking at the either the Aguja or Javelina Fm.   If we can accept that's it's an Titanosauriform you then either have an undescribed Titanosauriform from the Aguja, which is possible, or Alamosaurus from the Javelina.  Either is pretty cool.  

Yeah, I’m definitely satisfied. The price was way lower than even the hadrosaur stuff I’ve seen come out of that area, so for it to be North American Cretaceous sauropod is pretty cool. I haven’t seen a lot of that around. Thanks for the help!

[Tidgy's Dad]

Nice piece! 

[doushantuo]

I'm a big believer in comparative osteology: