DevilDog Posted March 15, 2015 Share Posted March 15, 2015 I've been hunting shark teeth in the south east coastal North Carolina are for almost two years now. I've found teeth at every beach I have been to, some more productive than others. My question is essentially this: are all the fossil shark teeth found on the beaches in this area from the same eras, or are some beach areas known for producing specimens from different eras? I have noticed that the teeth found on Oak Island and Caswell Beach range from tan to black, Kure Beach has yielded mostly black teeth with a few tan/brown ones (both Hemipristis Serra, coincidentally). And beaches north of Kure, almost exclusively produce black teeth. Is this more geology related or era related? Thanks for educating a novice ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted March 15, 2015 Share Posted March 15, 2015 It has everything to do with the minerals that percolated through the sediment, and to a lesser extent their subsequent exposure to salt water and sun. "There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant “Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley >Paleontology is an evolving science. >May your wonders never cease! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darktooth Posted March 15, 2015 Share Posted March 15, 2015 I have been to the Calvert cliffs in Maryland many times the teeth in those cliffs are all from the Miocene. At certain points those cliffs are over 100ft tall. I have noticed that teeth that come from the base off the cliffs( which is an older layer) are black. The teeth tend to get lighter in color in layers farther up in the cliff (younger layers). I observed this by finding teeth that were exposed still in the matrix of the cliff. The reason for multiple layers is that there were multiple events that occurred during the Miocene which led to fossilization. I like Trilo-butts and I cannot lie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darktooth Posted March 15, 2015 Share Posted March 15, 2015 I also wanted to add auspex is correct in that the minerals in the ground give the teeth their colors. I am sure there were probably different minerals present in those different layers. This is only what i have observed from one locality. I like Trilo-butts and I cannot lie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DevilDog Posted March 15, 2015 Author Share Posted March 15, 2015 Thanks. That makes sense that there would be multiple and different layers of sediment over the years, even within an era. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stellabear Posted March 26, 2015 Share Posted March 26, 2015 I have been going to oak island/caswell beach for almost 20 years and found my first sharks teeth this past weekend (!) One was a tiger shark the other I don't know...I think it is the way this island runs east to west that keeps us from getting a lot on the beach...anyway they are replenishing the beach in kings lynn on the west end of the island where the houses have begun to fall in and there is a ton of great stuff to find at low tide. My daughter and husband both found a dolphin or porpoise vertebrae...not fossils but very cool in case anyone wants to see what they can uncover. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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