A diverse assemblage of Ptychodus species (Elasmobranchii: Ptychodontidae) from the Upper Cretaceous of Ukraine, with comments on possible diversification drivers during the Cenomanian
- Author(s)
- Manuel Amadori, Oleksandr Kovalchuk, Zoltán Barkaszi, Luca Giusberti, René Kindlimann, Jürgen Kriwet
- Abstract
New isolated teeth from the Upper Cretaceous of Ukraine and belonging to the extinct durophagous shark Ptychodus are described here. The taxonomic identification of the examined material reveals a quite diverse Cenomanian shark fauna which comprised both cuspidate and un-cuspidate species of Ptychodus from the coastal areas at the north-western margin of the Ukrainian Massif. In addition, P. latissimus from the Turonian of Ukraine is reported here for the first time. The revision of the Ukrainian record of Ptychodus revealed that most specimens described here are the oldest so far known from this part of the European Peri-Tethys. Moreover, the present study highlights the co-occurrence of cuspidate and un-cuspidate Ptychodus and a variety of shelled macroinvertebrates, which inhabited coastal and offshore areas of the European epicontinental seas during the Late Cretaceous. The availability of different prey items is proposed here as one of the possible drivers, in addition to abiotic environmental factors, for the diversification of shark tooth morphologies, and possible trophic partitioning between cuspidate and un-cuspidate species of the genus Ptychodus.
- Organisation(s)
- Department of Palaeontology
- External organisation(s)
- National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (NASU), University of Wrocław, University of Padova, Independent researcher, Vienna Doctoral School of Ecology and Evolution, Haimuseum und Sammlung R. Kindlimann
- Journal
- Cretaceous Research
- Volume
- 151
- ISSN
- 0195-6671
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cretres.2023.105659
- Publication date
- 11-2023
- Peer reviewed
- Yes
- Austrian Fields of Science 2012
- 105118 Palaeontology, 106012 Evolutionary research
- Keywords
- ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Palaeontology
- Portal url
- https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/en/publications/50d99f80-658d-4a79-8a0f-f3b3e918053f