Bite traces of a large, mosasaur-type(?) vertebrate predator in the lower Turonian ammonite .i.Mammites nodosoides./i. (Schlüter, 1871) from the Czech Republic

0579702 - GLÚ 2025 RIV NL eng J - Journal Article
Mazuch, M. - Košťák, M. - Mikuláš, Radek - Culka, A. - Kohout, O. - Jagt, J. W. M.
Bite traces of a large, mosasaur-type(?) vertebrate predator in the lower Turonian ammonite Mammites nodosoides (Schlüter, 1871) from the Czech Republic.
Cretaceous Research. Roč. 153, January (2024), č. článku 105714. ISSN 0195-6671. E-ISSN 1095-998X
Institutional support: RVO:67985831
Keywords : Amniote predation * Upper Cretaceous * Central Europe * New ichnotaxon * Cephalopods
OECD category: Paleontology
Impact factor: 2.1, year: 2022
Method of publishing: Limited access
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0195667123002422

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.
Permanent Link: https://hdl.handle.net/11104/0349012