Physical drivers of mosasaur evolution

Polcyn, Michael J.; Jacobs, Louis L.; Araújo, Ricardo; Schulp, Anne S.; Mateus, Octávio

doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2013.05.018

Cited by 89 publications

(85 citation statements)

References 87 publications

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“…This latitude is well within the area of the high-pressure, descending limb of the southern Hadley cell, driving rich upwelling along the coastal desert. Oceanic upwelling cells provide nutrients that enhance primary productivity, which has been suggested as a driver of mosasaur evolution generally (Jacobs et al, 2009;Polcyn et al, 2014). The presence of abundant marine amniote fossils in coastal Angola, specifically at Bentiaba, is consistent with that hypothesis.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 57%

“…ptychodon are grouped together for analyses due to their small body size (<5 m in length; Polcyn et al, 2014) and their similar d 13 C values. The standard deviation of Halisaurus + 'P.'…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Length estimates from Polcyn et al (2014).deposits offshore in western Africa and the rich marine vertebrate fauna preserved in Turonian, Campanian and Maastrichtian coastal outcrops of Angola indicate that latitudinally controlled, high-productivity environments consistent with upwelling existed in the Late Cretaceous(Handoh et al, 1999;Jacobs et al, 2006Jacobs et al, , 2009Polcyn et al, 2014).The paleolatitude of Bentiaba, at the time of the accumulation of the Bench 19 Fauna (C32n.1n; 71.40-71.64, using the calibration ofHusson et al, 2011; see …”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Geological setting and paleoecology of the Upper Cretaceous Bench 19 Marine Vertebrate Bonebed at Bentiaba, Angola

Strganac

Jacobs

Polcyn

et al. 2014

Netherlands Journal of Geosciences

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The Bench 19 Bonebed at Bentiaba, Angola, is a unique concentration of marine vertebrates preserving six species of mosasaurs in sediments best correlated by magnetostratigraphy to chron C32n.1n between 71.4 and 71.64 Ma. The bonebed formed at a paleolatitude near 24°S, with an Atlantic width at that latitude approximating 2700 km, roughly half that of the current width. The locality lies on an uncharacteristically narrow continental shelf near transform faults that controlled the coastal outline of Africa in the formation of the South Atlantic Ocean. Biostratigraphic change through the Bentiaba section indicates that the accumulation occurred in an ecological time dimension within the 240 ky bin delimited by chron 32n.1n. The fauna occurs in a 10 m sand unit in the Mocuio Formation with bones and partial skeletons concentrated in, but not limited to, the basal 1-2 m. The sediment entombing the fossils is an immature feldspathic sand shown by detrital zircon ages to be derived from nearby granitic shield rocks. Specimens do not appear to have a strong preferred orientation and they are not concentrated in a strand line. Stable oxygen isotope analysis of associated bivalve shells indicates a water temperature of 18.5°C. The bonebed is clearly mixed with scattered dinosaur and pterosaur elements in a marine assemblage. Gut contents, scavenging marks and associated shed shark teeth in the Bench 19Fauna indicate biological association and attrition due to feeding activities. The ecological diversity of mosasaur species is shown by tooth and body-size disparity and by d 13 C analysis of tooth enamel, which indicate a variety of foraging areas and dietary niches. The Bench 19 Fauna was formed in arid latitudes along a coastal desert similar to that of modern Namibia on a narrow, tectonically controlled continental shelf, in shallow waters below wave base. The area was used as a foraging ground for diverse species, including molluscivorus Globidens phosphaticus, small species expected near the coast, abundant Prognathodon kianda, which fed on other mosasaurs at Bench 19, and species that may have been transient and opportunistic feeders in the area.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 57%

“…ptychodon are grouped together for analyses due to their small body size (<5 m in length; Polcyn et al, 2014) and their similar d 13 C values. The standard deviation of Halisaurus + 'P.'…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Geological setting and paleoecology of the Upper Cretaceous Bench 19 Marine Vertebrate Bonebed at Bentiaba, Angola

Strganac

Jacobs

Polcyn

et al. 2014

Netherlands Journal of Geosciences

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“…Mosasaurs became increasingly ecologically disparate through their geological history, culminating in broad ecospace occupation in the Campanian and Maastrichtian (Ross 2009). The substantial depth distribution of mosasaurs in the water column meant they could exploit diverse benthic and pelagic prey (Polcyn et al 2014). Turtles also achieved great taxonomic diversity in the Late Cretaceous and possessed functionally distinct robust jaws without teeth (Brinkman et al 2006).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…On the other hand, ichthyosauromorphs and sauropterygians were long-lived marine clades, and their evolution was punctuated by major phylogenetic bottlenecks in the Late Triassic (Thorne et al 2011). Mosasaur extinction was particularly abrupt and seemingly premature, given that they maintained high diversity and disparity in the later parts of their history (Polcyn et al 2014) (Fig. 8).…”

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confidence: 99%

Ecomorphological diversifications of Mesozoic marine reptiles: the roles of ecological opportunity and extinction

Stubbs¹,

Benton

2016

Paleobiology

108

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Abstract.-Mesozoic marine ecosystems were dominated by several clades of reptiles, including sauropterygians, ichthyosaurs, crocodylomorphs, turtles, and mosasaurs, that repeatedly invaded ocean ecosystems. Previous research has shown that marine reptiles achieved great taxonomic diversity in the Middle Triassic, as they broadly diversified into many feeding modes in the aftermath of the Permo-Triassic mass extinction, but it is not known whether this initial phase of evolution was exceptional in the context of the entire Mesozoic. Here, we use a broad array of disparity, morphospace, and comparative phylogenetic analyses to test this. Metrics of ecomorphology, including functional disparity in the jaws and dentition and skull-size diversity, show that the Middle to early Late Triassic represented a time of pronounced phenotypic diversification in marine reptile evolution. Following the Late Triassic extinctions, diversity recovered, but disparity did not, and it took over 100 Myr for comparable variation to recover in the Campanian and Maastrichtian. Jurassic marine reptiles generally failed to radiate into vacated functional roles. The signatures of adaptive radiation are not seen in all marine reptile groups. Clades that diversified during the Triassic biotic recovery, the sauropterygians and ichthyosauromorphs, do show early diversifications, early high disparity, and early burst, while less support for these models is found in thalattosuchian crocodylomorphs and mosasaurs. Overall, the Triassic represented a special interval in marine reptile evolution, as a number of groups radiated into new adaptive zones.

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Evolution of North American Lizards

Scarpetta

Ledesma

Llauger

et al. 2020

Encyclopedia of Life Sciences

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Lizards are a diverse reptile group with an ancient and global evolutionary history. Fossil lizards first appeared in North America during the Mesozoic. Many lizard lineages have inhabited North America throughout geologic time, including several lineages that are extinct, others that no longer occur on the continent, and many groups that are still there today. Lizards are currently found in a diverse range of habitats and in regions across the continent, including islands and human‐modified habitats. The modern lizard biota of North America contains diverse biogeographic and phylogenetic components along with the evolution of many distinctive behaviours, morphologies, and ecologies, including the evolution of venom, repeated limb loss, and ecological specialisations. Some lizards have been introduced to North America from elsewhere in the world or the continent, posing a potential problem for native biodiversity. Key Concepts North America contains an astounding diversity of lizards both in the modern biota and through geologic time. Although many fossil lizards are documented, there is still a lot to learn from the fossil record. Historic extirpations and extinctions of lizards are known and conservation efforts are needed to preserve lizard biodiversity. Biogeographic scenarios of lizards in North America are often disputed but are informed by fossil and molecular evidence. North American lizards have a diverse set of behavioural, morphological and ecological characteristics.

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Physical drivers of mosasaur evolution

Cited by 89 publications

References 87 publications

Geological setting and paleoecology of the Upper Cretaceous Bench 19 Marine Vertebrate Bonebed at Bentiaba, Angola

Geological setting and paleoecology of the Upper Cretaceous Bench 19 Marine Vertebrate Bonebed at Bentiaba, Angola

Ecomorphological diversifications of Mesozoic marine reptiles: the roles of ecological opportunity and extinction

Evolution of North American Lizards

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