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DROMAEOSAUR " RAPTOR " KILLING TOE CLAW - Tegana Formation - Kem Kem, Morocco LATE CRETACEOUS PERIOD: 96 - 66 million years ago Without a doubt, a raptor claw is the most sought-after fossil amongst all dinosaur fossil collectors. Typically, they are out of the budget of most dinosaur enthusiasts, especially "killing" claws. This specimen provides an excellent and rare opportunity to own a genuine RAPTOR KILLING CLAW. Immaculate preservation displays very rare color and details. Specimen was prepared by our staff and features less than 1% restoration, mainly to fill two very small regions which were missing. Remember, most raptors were very small so a killing claw this size is the norm. Proximal joint that articulates with the toe bone is missing and was not restored to keep the specimen as pure as possible. As a raptor killing toe claw, it is a super rare fossil and uncommon with such preservation. Rarely seen detail to the blood groove and surface. Most dinosaur claws of any species command the highest fossil prices and are the most demanded dinosaur fossils. The majority are mostly pieced back together from fragments and require CONSIDERABLE restoration. RAPTOR KILLING CLAWS can easily be considered the "holy grail" of fossil collecting! The market lacks quality specimens that have not needed extensive work unlike this excellent example. WARNING: EXTRAORDINARILY LARGE CLAWS HAVE BEEN APPEARING ON THE MARKET HAVING ORIGINATED FROM MOROCCO. DESPITE THEIR HEFTY PRICE TAGS, SEVERAL WE HAVE EXAMINED WERE TOTAL FAKES! We have also heard this from one highly experienced fossil restoration expert who has been sent claws from unsuspecting buyers hoping to have their purchase improved with further preparation. After years of very few quality large claws being found and offered from the Sahara, suddenly monstrous "raptor claws" are emerging from dealers in Moroccan fossils as of recent times. That should be a red-flag alone. The workmanship of these claws is higher than seen in the past so be HIGHLY SUSPECT when purchasing such specimens. They are often cast, broken, and then repaired with glue in an obvious manner to simulate a repaired genuine claw since most dinosaur claw fossils require repair! To have one of these large Moroccan claws examined in person by a third party of YOUR CHOOSING is your only insurance. We are seeing more and more claws coming out of Morocco that have been expertly reconstructed and restored IN Morocco. The workmanship is equal to U.S. skill levels and this is being done to fully exploit gaining the highest possible price at the source by the brokers of the diggers who find the claws and fossils. These expertly repaired and restored claws can fool all but the most trained eye and anyone that does not actually have extensive experience in fossil restoration, repair and preparation will likely not be able to tell the difference. These claws are being sold at shows and on the internet as having "NO REPAIR and/or NO RESTORATION" which is simply untrue but the ignorance of the seller is just repeating what the Moroccan dealer told him without their own ability to discern if any work was truly performed on the claw. This migration of highly skilled restoration work being done now at the source country of fossils is actually becoming more the norm with many varieties of fossils on the market. It is IMPERATIVE to ONLY deal with a very knowledgeable dealer who has considerable and first-hand personal experience with all facets of fossil fabrication, restoration and repair in order to avoid becoming a victim of the ignorance and fraud that unfortunately plagues this business.
Recent discoveries in China have shown feathered species existed. This has revolutionized paleontologists' view of what not only these creatures could have looked like when alive, but of possible plumage on other therapod dinosaurs. Dromaeosaurs share other characteristics with birds and theories now place these vicious predators as being the earliest ancestors of birds. Dromaeosaurs first evolved in the Early Cretaceous and survived right up to the end of the Late Cretaceous suggesting they were adaptable and capable hunters, surviving such a prolonged period yet, remaining virtually unchanged in overall design. AN ABSOLUTE BARGAIN IN A GENUINE AND SUPERBLY PRESERVED RAPTOR KILLING CLAW! 1.35" long on the dorsal curve SOLD DC6-003 INCLUDES DISPLAY BOX Actual Item - One Only |
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The
dromaeosaurs are popularly known (especially in the movie "Jurassic
Park") as "raptors", a group of fascinating extinct
creatures. Raptors ranged in size from the size of a small dog
on
up to 30 feet long! They are therapods that possessed specialized
features: a well-developed slashing talon on their second toe, a stiffened
tail, and large grasping hands.
The
"killing claw" of raptors was a terrifying and incredibly
efficient weapon. As they moved, it was held off the ground.
When the muscles of the toe were contracted, the claw swept down
quickly, providing for a powerful slash that may have been able to
disembowel prey swiftly. The stiffened tail would have been good
to stabilize the body while the grasping arms and jaws held onto the
prey for balance. Although there is no conclusive evidence for
this, it has been suggested that raptors could have performed leaps onto
large prey and used all four limbs to rip wounds in them. 
Raptors
were ferocious predators that some scientists believe hunted in packs
and attacked much larger dinosaurs by slashing their underbellies.
It is also believed that they were similar to lions in predatory
behavior, preferring ambushes and quick chases using their high
maneuverability along with strategic pack-hunting tactics. A human
could be torn to shreds by a pack of raptors in less than 30
seconds. 