Gale et al., 2017

Author(s):Gale, A. S., Kennedy, W. J., Martill, D.
Year:2017
Title:Mosasauroid predation on an ammonite – Pseudaspidoceras – from the Early Turonian of south-eastern Morocco
Journal:Acta Geologica Polonica
Volume:67
Number:1
Pages:31-46
Abstract

A juvenile specimen of the ammonite Pseudaspidoceras from the Early Turonian of the Goulmima area in the Province of Er-Rachida in south-eastern Morocco shows clear evidence of predation by a tooth-bearing vertebrate. Most of the body chamber is missing, as a result of post-burial compactional crushing. The adapertural part of the shell on the left flank of the surviving fragment of body chamber bears six circular punctuations; the right flank four. These are interpreted as the product of a single bite by a mosasauroid, probably a Tethysaurus. The taxonomy of the Goulmima Pseudaspidoceras is discussed in an appendix.

Keywords:Ammonoidea, Bite traces, Cretaceous, Morocco, Paleontology, Predation
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1515/agp-2017-0003
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