Leaf like markings

[Nautiloid man]

I have this ammonite and it has these leaf like markings. I have seen pictures of things like this and my ammonite also has this. But one bit of it looks like it's printed. Like fall leaf colors.

 

[Nautiloid man]

Image of it

 

[tonmo]

Cool! I think this may be somewhat common (I could be wrong; but I feel like I've seen that patterning before), although I don't know what it might represents (if it even is common). Hopefully one of our resident experts (notably @Architeuthoceras) can enlighten us. Thanks for sharing -- great pic!

 

[Architeuthoceras]

Those leaf-like markings are the suture line. The shell of ammonites was divided into chambers like the chambered nautilus, the chambers were divided by septa, the suture is where the septa connected to the inside of the shell. Some sutures are very simple like those of a nautilus, sutures of ammonoids vary from very simple to very complex. Your ammonite has complex sutures that resemble leaves.

 

[Nautiloid man]

Those leaf-like markings are the suture line. The shell of ammonites was divided into chambers like the chambered nautilus, the chambers were divided by septa, the suture is where the septa connected to the inside of the shell. Some sutures are very simple like those of a nautilus, sutures of ammonoids vary from very simple to very complex. Your ammonite has complex sutures that resemble leaves.

I have heard of those, I knew that they existed. I thought that was what it is. but the ones I have seen have more like a pattern. It also has this unnatural shine, like how something printed onto paper would have.

 

[Architeuthoceras]

The inside of the shell is very smooth, the animal lived in there, so the internal mold (what you see when the shell is removed or missing) is also very smooth on some specimens (like yours), this might give it the unnatural shine you see. It is a very well-preserved fossil so it will show a lot of things most fossils don't.

 

[Nautiloid man]

The inside of the shell is very smooth, the animal lived in there, so the internal mold (what you see when the shell is removed or missing) is also very smooth on some specimens (like yours), this might give it the unnatural shine you see. It is a very well-preserved fossil so it will show a lot of things most fossils don't.

that is, actually really interesting. thank you for the info!