Pathological Prizes Megalodon Deformed Rarities Of The Fossil World

[Megalodon1]

Hi fellow fossil fanatics, there comes a time in fossil collecting when you already own the 6 inch Megs, Benedeni's, Threshers, etc. I won't say that shark tooth collecting ever gets boring, but sometimes you gotta own specimens that blow everything else away. I am very excited to show y'all the center piece of my collection, a pathological tooth with an extreme twist which is in a beautiful matrix, was told descends from Peru. As a piece of complimentary eye candy the second tooth is another deformed tooth the was found from Georgia, here in the good ol' USA! Hope y'all enjoy...

Edited April 12, 2014 by Megalodon1

[Megalodon1]

2nd Deformed tooth.

Edited December 27, 2012 by Megalodon1

[Megalodon1]

I would like to see some of your deformed Meg's too fellow forum members.

Edited December 27, 2012 by Megalodon1

[Auspex]

Gnarly!

Can you post bigger than thumbnails, though? I'd like a good look!

EDIT: Solved, while I was posting: thanks!

[Megalodon1]

I don't really know what the actual real number is because I don't dive for these even though I wish I did, but I was once told one out every thousand or so teeth found has an extreme pathological characteristic to it. Please correct my numbers if they are off.

Edited December 27, 2012 by Megalodon1

[Auspex]

That's a Meg as interpreted by Salvadore Dali!

[Scylla]

OK, that's it! I'm driving to Georgia tonight (only 14 hours away) I might stop for a nap on the way...

Nice pathologicals, but some of us are still in the "I hope I find a Meg, any Meg" mode

[THobern]

I don't really know what the actual real number is because I don't dive for these even though I wish I did, but I was once told one out every thousand or so teeth found has an extreme pathological characteristic to it. Please correct my numbers if they are off.

Way off. Closer to one in 40. Major pathologies, maybe.

[DeloiVarden]

As Thobern points out, many teeth have little pathologies which are overlooked. However, I would also agree that major pathologies certainly are more rare. I have been diving a few years and have found several patholocial megs, as well as a a few pathologica mako, great white, and tiger teeth. I won't venture throw out an exact frequency.

[PrimitivePast]

I have found that pathological shark teeth can be more common in certain areas of the same region. For instance, they are extremely common in the carcharhinus teeth found in Venice....Central Florida. I have over a thousand deformed examples from that location. In identical miocene layers found in North Florida however, they are extremely rare. Certain species seem to be more prone to pathologies but this is an example of some variable that effected the same sharks very differently in similar environments.

[THobern]

As Thobern points out, many teeth have little pathologies which are overlooked. However, I would also agree that major pathologies certainly are more rare. I have been diving a few years and have found several patholocial megs, as well as a a few pathologica mako, great white, and tiger teeth. I won't venture throw out an exact frequency.

Exactly; small kinks and twists in blades could be counted as pathologies and are quite common. However, serious and noticeable deformities are much more uncommon.

[PrimitivePast]

This meg was recovered in Bone Valley.

[PrimitivePast]

Another pathological Meg from Bone Valley.

[JeepDigger]

I have found that pathological shark teeth can be more common in certain areas of the same region. For instance, they are extremely common in the carcharhinus teeth found in Venice....Central Florida. I have over a thousand deformed examples from that location. In identical miocene layers found in North Florida however, they are extremely rare. Certain species seem to be more prone to pathologies but this is an example of some variable that effected the same sharks very differently in similar environments.

I assume this is because of breeding populations being more localized much like modern animals with geographical mutations? Or are these types of traits not hereditary?

[Auspex]

At least some of the regular tooth pathologies are due to damage during formation; some few may involve damage to the jaw, which results in a series of teeth with the same deformity. I suspect that genetics plays a very small role overall.

[JeepDigger]

At least some of the regular tooth pathologies are due to damage during formation; some few may involve damage to the jaw, which results in a series of teeth with the same deformity. I suspect that genetics plays a very small role overall.

If that was the case, wouldn't the teeth be relatively equally spread out across a formation instead of localized to one area? I can't imagine there being that drastic of a difference between food sources (or whatever could damage them)in the same species in an area as small as has been described here.

Edited December 28, 2012 by JeepDigger

[PrimitivePast]

If that was the case, wouldn't the teeth be relatively equally spread out across a formation instead of localized to one area? I can't imagine there being that drastic of a difference between food sources (or whatever could damage them)in the same species in an area as small as has been described here.

That's the mystery to me Jeepdigger. The locations mentioned in Central and North Florida have the same Miocene aged species of shark and the same type and quantity of food source based on the fossil bone found in both locations. There is however, a drastic difference in the number of pathological teeth found from both sites even though the formations are basically the same.

[THobern]

I'd be interested in seeing statistically significant analyses of pathology across various paleo-populations. Pathologies do tend to weaken a fossil, so there may simply be a preservation bias.

[JeepDigger]

If the teeth are all different sizes and not just isolated to say a birthing ground or something than the only thing I can think of would be something hereditary. Even though sharks have pretty large areas they travel through it would seem that there would be some basic clusters of sharks following the same food sources in the same areas that would reproduce together. That being said, I have no experience with sharks and I'm just going off of my limited basic knowledge of modern day sharks and what little common sense I have left! Another very good point THobern....hmmm....

[AgrilusHunter]

There could simply have been more teeth deposited at that site than others, therefore increasing the number of pathologicals. For example, a seal breeding ground would seem a likely place to see increased deposition of modern great white teeth.

Edited December 28, 2012 by AgrilusHunter

[PrimitivePast]

Great thoughts THobern, JeepDigger and AgrilusHunter. Thank you for your different theories.

[PrimitivePast]

At least some of the regular tooth pathologies are due to damage during formation; some few may involve damage to the jaw, which results in a series of teeth with the same deformity. I suspect that genetics plays a very small role overall.

I agree Auspex. I will post more pathological examples tomorrow that I find in large abundance in certain locations.

[DeloiVarden]

This meg was recovered in Bone Valley.

Nice example!

[NSRhunter]

I saw that First meg at Fossilmania!! The guy tried to sell it to me but it was really expensive.

[Megalodon1]

I saw that First meg at Fossilmania!! The guy tried to sell it to me but it was really expensive.

Ya, this guy was asking all the money for this Meg at the Fossil Fest in Round Rock. I ended up trading him like 6, 5''+ regular Megs for this one deformed tooth, told him that he would be able to easily sell the common teeth to beginner collectors faster/more total money than waiting for that one crazy collector like myself to flop on this deformed tooth (he agreed).