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Oldest fluorescent color patterns ever seen discovered on 240 million year old shells

This discovery shows that the color patterns are preserved much more frequently than previously thought.

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Color pattern variations in the fossil scallop Pleuronectites. (Klaus Wolkenstein via SWNS)

By Alice Clifford via SWNS

The oldest fluorescent color patterns ever seen have been discovered on 240 million year old shells thanks to new research.

Using UVlight, the scallop shells showed different variations of stripes, zigzags and flame patterns in a wide variety of colors.

Dr. Klaus Wolkenstein, researcher at the Geosciences Center at the University of Göttingen and author of the study, said: “The color spectrum ranges from yellow to red with all the transitions in between, which suggests that there were clear regional differences in the fossilization of these scallops.

"Color patterns are only occasionally preserved in fossil marine shells. To reveal residual traces or to enhance visible color patterns, ultraviolet (UV) light-induced fluorescence has been used."

Scallop Pleuronectites from the Triassic period with fluorescent color pattern; left under normal light, right under UV light. (Klaus Wolkenstein via SWNS)

The UV light makes it possible to see intricate structures of fossils that are barely visible in normal daylight.

The shells are from the earth’s Mesozoic Era, the time of dinosaurs that comprised the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods.

Traces of color patterns are very rarely seen from fossils from this time.

This discovery shows that the color patterns are preserved much more frequently than previously thought.

While invisible to the human eye, UV light excites organic compounds in the fossils causing them to glow, revealing a variety of color patterns.

The mixture of colors is similar to the seashells found on beaches today.

Yet, while similar, the colors of today’s shells are not fluorescent like these fossilized scallops.

Wolkenstein said: "In the case of the Triassic shells, fluorescent compounds were only formed in the course of fossilization through oxidation of the original pigments.

"UV light-induced fluorescence reveals that color patterns were much more abundant and diverse in basal pectinids than previously thought.

Different fluorescent colors in the fossil scallop Pleuronectites. (Klaus Wolkenstein via SWNS)

"Even faint color patterns can be traced by fluorescence and true color patterns can be clearly distinguished from other irregularities in shell coloration.

"Further application of this methodology to Mesozoic shells thus has the potential to enhance our understanding of the diversity and evolution of molluscan shell colour patterns."

The results of this study have been published in the journal Palaeontology.

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