20113 - Rare Megalosaurid Theropod Dinosaur Foot Claw - Jurassic Tiouraren Fm

Scientific name: Potential Afrovenator abakensis, Sereno et al. 1994 - Megalosaurid - Toe claw

Location: Tiouraren Hill, Téneré Desert, Niger.

Geological Formation: Tiouraren Fm

Age: Middle Jurassic, Bathonian stage ( 167 million years)

Size (long): 8,3 cm 

REF.: 20113

DESCRIPTION:

Here we present a rather spectacular piece. It is an authentic toe claw of a theropod dinosaur of the Megalosauridae family. Potentially belonging to the Afrovenator genus. The specimen has some fractures close to the tip that have been glued and filled (restored), however, the specimen is not a composite and is an absolutely genuine specimen.

Afrovenator ("African hunter") is a genus of megalosaurid theropod dinosaur from the Middle Jurassic Period of northern Africa. The remains of Afrovenator were discovered in 1993 in the Tiourarén Formation of the department of Agadez in Niger.

The Tiourarén Formation is a geological formation in the Agadez Region of Niger whose strata were originally thought to be Early Cretaceous. However, re-interpretation of the sediments showed that they are probably Middle Jurassic (Bathonian) in age. It is the uppermost unit of the Irhazer Group. Dinosaur remains are among the fossils that have been recovered from the formation.