Carbon isotope trends in north-west European mosasaurs (Squamata; Late Cretaceous)
Publication date
2021-05-31
Authors
Giltaij, Tom
van der Lubbe, Jeroen H.J.L.
Lindow, Bent
Schulp, Anne
Jagt, John W.M.
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Document Type
Article
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Abstract
The carbon stable isotope composition (δ13C) of tooth enamel in mosasaurid squamates reflects aspects of their diet and diving behaviour. Here we present new δ13C data for such marine squamates from the Maastrichtian of Denmark and compare these with results obtained in previous studies from the lower-latitude type area of the Maastrichtian Stage (latest Cretaceous; 72.1–66.0 Ma) in the south-east Netherlands and north-east Belgium. For the Danish samples, there is a weak correlation between mosasaur body size and δ13C values, with larger-sized taxa having lower δ13C values, comparable to what has previously been observed for mosasaurs from the Maastrichtian type area.
Keywords
Maastrichtian, Mosasauridae, North-west europe, Stable isotopes, Geology
Citation
Giltaij, T, van der Lubbe, J H J L, Lindow, B, Schulp, A S & Jagt, J W M 2021, 'Carbon isotope trends in north-west European mosasaurs (Squamata; Late Cretaceous)', Bulletin of the Geological Society of Denmark, vol. 69, pp. 59-70. https://doi.org/10.37570/bgsd-2021-69-04