Foshunter Posted March 4, 2013 Share Posted March 4, 2013 (edited) I think anyone that is a shark tooth collector is facinated by the variety of colors, myself included. Colors that are mixed with what I call lightening strikes add to the desirability. Here are a few from my collection, hope you will share pictures of your teeth and maybe an explanation of what causes the lightening patterns----Tom Summerville S.C. Chandler Bridge Formation, what is interesting is that some larger pebbles have the same lightening patterns Meg's from the Bone Valley of Florida Cretaceous Ptychodus mortoni from E. Texas Santonian Blossom Sand Formation Edited March 4, 2013 by Foshunter Grow Old Kicking And Screaming !!"Don't Tread On Me" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sseth Posted March 4, 2013 Share Posted March 4, 2013 Those are amazing patterns. Mother-Earth is amazing in her atrwork! _____________________________________ Seth www.fossilshack.com www.americanfossil.com www.fishdig.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Dente Posted March 4, 2013 Share Posted March 4, 2013 and maybe an explanation of what causes the lightening patterns- My understanding of the lightning pattern is that it is the result of plant roots that come in contact with the tooth. Plants will alter the pH around the roots to help them take up minerals that they need. It probably removes some of the minerals from the fossil where it contacts the root. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Dactyll Posted March 4, 2013 Share Posted March 4, 2013 I dont think its just shark tooth collectors who enjoy something different to the norm colour wise... I'm the same with the ammonites...Nice teeth and very interesting theory about roots taking the minerals and affecting the colour... Maybe as the roots grow they expand and apply localised stresses to the tooth surface as well...or the tooth is touching something hard whilst in a compacted state... Be interesting to read what everyone thinks about these colour variations and lightening strikes... Cheers Steve... And Welcome if your a New Member... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foshunter Posted March 6, 2013 Author Share Posted March 6, 2013 I had heard that possibly plant roots caused the lightening strikes, hoped to see others from collections, know they are out there----Tom Grow Old Kicking And Screaming !!"Don't Tread On Me" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PRK Posted March 8, 2013 Share Posted March 8, 2013 Ive found many fossils with that " lightening" pattern, always near the surface. those "root patterns" probably indicate the fossil was in soft matrix, relatively close to the surface. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shellseeker Posted May 28, 2014 Share Posted May 28, 2014 Al Dente pointed me here and I learned about what causes the lightening strike pattern in fossils. Thanks for the new (to me) info. Here are a couple of lightening strike shark teeth, each about 2 inches. a Meg found yesterday. At first I tried to rub off the brown "mud", but was unsuccessful and a Mako The White Queen ".... in her youth she could believe "six impossible things before breakfast" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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