Latest Maastrichtian middle- and high-latitude mosasaurs and fish isotopic composition: carbon source, thermoregulation strategy, and thermal latitudinal gradient

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Version: Final published version
License: CC BY 4.0
Serval ID
serval:BIB_20FE18DAF5F2
Type
Article: article from journal or magazin.
Collection
Publications
Institution
Title
Latest Maastrichtian middle- and high-latitude mosasaurs and fish isotopic composition: carbon source, thermoregulation strategy, and thermal latitudinal gradient
Journal
Paleobiology
Author(s)
Leuzinger Léa, Kocsis László, Luz Zoneibe, Vennemann Torsten, Ulyanov Alexey, Fernández Marta
ISSN
0094-8373
1938-5331
Publication state
Published
Issued date
05/2023
Peer-reviewed
Oui
Volume
49
Number
2
Pages
353-373
Language
english
Abstract
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.
Keywords
Paleontology, General Agricultural and Biological Sciences, Ecology, Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
Web of science
Open Access
Yes
Create date
25/05/2023 13:43
Last modification date
12/07/2024 7:09
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