Yeah, the original nut has long, hook-like tines that would actually be useful for catching the end of a hand-crank rod (if only the engine was installed in a car that provided access to it).
The replacement nuts, like the one pictured above, have abbreviated tines that I think are just for show. The benefit of the short/fake tines is you can remove/install the nut without lifting the engine (that is, it clears the front frame brace). With the original nut, the tines get in the way.