Asteroid That Killed Dinosaurs Also Wiped Out Another Major Species

The massive asteroid that led to the extinction of the dinosaurs also caused the disappearance of another significant species on Earth. This space rock brought about several changes to our planet, one of which was the extinction of ammonites.

A recent study published in Nature Communications has challenged the long-standing belief that ammonites were already declining before they went extinct 66 million years ago.

The research, conducted by paleontologists from the University of Bristol, indicates that these well-known marine mollusks were thriving until their sudden extinction alongside the dinosaurs.

Ammonites were a group of marine mollusks related to today’s squid, octopus, and cuttlefish.

Dr. Joseph Flannery-Sutherland, the lead author of the study, pointed out the difficulties in understanding changes in biodiversity over time, as the fossil record can sometimes be misleading. (Photo: UoB)

To tackle this issue, the research team created a new database of Late Cretaceous ammonite fossils, using museum collections to fill in gaps and provide a clearer picture of ammonite biodiversity.

The study found that the rates at which ammonites appeared and disappeared varied across different regions and periods. This contradicts earlier beliefs of a global decline, which were based on limited data mainly from North America.

Dr. James Witts from the Natural History Museum in London emphasized the need to consider regional differences in ammonite diversification. He explained that while ammonites seemed to be struggling in some areas, they were thriving in others, suggesting their extinction was more of a random event than an inevitable one.

The research also looked into factors that influenced ammonite diversity, considering both environmental conditions and biological processes.

The team discovered that the reasons for ammonite speciation and extinction were as varied as the rates themselves, highlighting the complexity of their evolutionary history.

This study underscores the importance of examining fossil data on a regional level to get a more detailed understanding of biodiversity changes over time and space. It challenges simple explanations in paleontology and offers a new view on the last phase of ammonite evolution before their sudden extinction.

Published By: Sibu Kumar Tripathi Published On: Jun 27, 2024