Bite traces of a large, mosasaur-type(?) vertebrate predator in the lower Turonian ammonite Mammites nodosoides (Schlüter, 1871) from the Czech Republic
The result's identifiers
Result code in IS VaVaI
<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F67985831%3A_____%2F24%3A00579702" target="_blank" >RIV/67985831:_____/24:00579702 - isvavai.cz</a>
Alternative codes found
RIV/00216208:11310/24:10491959
Result on the web
<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0195667123002422" target="_blank" >https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0195667123002422</a>
DOI - Digital Object Identifier
<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cretres.2023.105714" target="_blank" >10.1016/j.cretres.2023.105714</a>
Alternative languages
Result language
angličtina
Original language name
Bite traces of a large, mosasaur-type(?) vertebrate predator in the lower Turonian ammonite Mammites nodosoides (Schlüter, 1871) from the Czech Republic
Original language description
A specimen of the acanthoceratid ammonite Mammites nodosoides from the lower Turonian of the Bohemian Cretaceous Basin shows signs of having been preyed upon by a reptile, probably with a mosasaur-like dentition. Based on these traces, a new ichnotaxon, Nihilichnus quadripertitus Mikuláš, isp. nov., is erected. Several bite traces are arranged into two convergent, straight rows, which would rule out sauropterygian reptiles or fishes as agents. Jaw margins appear to contour the ammonite aperture, suggesting an attack directed at the apertural part with the head and arm crown. The lethal nature of the bite(s) inflicted is supported by the crushed anterior, albeit not anteriormost, portion of the body chamber. Spacing, size and angle of these traces, as well as the angle of convergence between both rows would suggest that the agent was a medium-sized (up to 6 m) member of the marine lizard family Mosasauridae, and more specifically, of the subfamily Tethysaurinae. However, a representative of another closely related subfamily, the Yaguarasaurinae (which includes the genus Romeosaurus), cannot be ruled out. The bite marks on the present ammonite shell contribute to a palaeoecological evaluation of tethysaurines (in particular with regard to food adaptations) and to a better picture of the palaeogeographical distribution of early Turonian mosasauroids across central European shelves.
Czech name
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Czech description
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Classification
Type
J<sub>imp</sub> - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database
CEP classification
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OECD FORD branch
10506 - Paleontology
Result continuities
Project
<a href="/en/project/GC21-30418J" target="_blank" >GC21-30418J: Linking high- and mid-latitude sedimentary archives of the Late Cretaceous greenhouse: correlations between Northern Siberia and Central Europe</a><br>
Continuities
I - Institucionalni podpora na dlouhodoby koncepcni rozvoj vyzkumne organizace
Others
Publication year
2024
Confidentiality
S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů
Data specific for result type
Name of the periodical
Cretaceous Research
ISSN
0195-6671
e-ISSN
1095-998X
Volume of the periodical
153
Issue of the periodical within the volume
January
Country of publishing house
NL - THE KINGDOM OF THE NETHERLANDS
Number of pages
9
Pages from-to
105714
UT code for WoS article
001097270400001
EID of the result in the Scopus database
2-s2.0-85173919223