Artículo
Latest Maastrichtian middle- and high-latitude mosasaurs and fish isotopic composition: carbon source, thermoregulation strategy, and thermal latitudinal gradient
Leuzinger, Léa Sylvia
; Kocsis, László; Luz, Zoneibe; Vennemann, Torsten Walter; Ulyanov, Alexey; Fernández, Marta Susana
Fecha de publicación:
12/2022
Editorial:
Paleontological Society
Revista:
Paleobiology
ISSN:
0094-8373
Idioma:
Inglés
Tipo de recurso:
Artículo publicado
Clasificación temática:
Resumen
Here we report high-latitude stable isotope compositions of Maastrichtian fossil fish and marine reptiles (mainly mosasaurs) from Antarctica (64°S paleolatitude) and compare them with mid-paleolatitude samples from Argentine Patagonia (45°S). Disparities between the δ13C values of bony fish and marine reptiles correspond to differences in the foraging ground (distance from the shore and depth), while dramatically higher δ13C values (by 18‰) in shark enameloid cannot be explained through ecology and are here imputed to biomineralization. Comparison with extant vertebrates suggests that the diet alone can explain the offset observed between bony fish and mosasaurs; however, breath holding due to a diving behavior in mosasaurs may have had some impact on their δ13C values, as previously suggested. The δ18OPO4 values of the remains confirm a relatively stable, elevated body temperature for marine reptiles, meaning that they were thermoregulators. We calculated a water temperature of ~8°C for Antarctica from the fish δ18OPO4 values, warmer than present-day temperatures and consistent with the absence of polar ice sheets during the latest Maastrichtian. Our fish data greatly extend the latitudinal range of Late Cretaceous fish δ18OPO4 values and result in a thermal gradient of 0.4°C/1° of latitude when combined with literature data.
Palabras clave:
Mosasaurs fish
,
High latitude
,
Maastrichtian
,
Cretaceous
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Articulos(CCT - LA PLATA)
Articulos de CTRO.CIENTIFICO TECNOL.CONICET - LA PLATA
Articulos de CTRO.CIENTIFICO TECNOL.CONICET - LA PLATA
Citación
Leuzinger, Léa Sylvia; Kocsis, László; Luz, Zoneibe; Vennemann, Torsten Walter; Ulyanov, Alexey; et al.; Latest Maastrichtian middle- and high-latitude mosasaurs and fish isotopic composition: carbon source, thermoregulation strategy, and thermal latitudinal gradient; Paleontological Society; Paleobiology; 49; 2; 12-2022; 353-373
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