The Last of the Ammonites

[Phil]

Short, but interesting paper detailing an ammonite recovered from Bidart in France that has been recovered from just below the K/T boundary and actually contains high levels of iridium. It is estimated that this may have been deposited less than 200-600 years before the mass extinction and filled up with material from the event.

Statistically speaking, it is obvious that this was not the actual last ammonite to have existed, merely one of the last known to have been fossilised. It seems to be increasingly accepted that ammonites were indeed thriving right up to the K/T event.

Cosmic Markers in an Ammonite from the K/T section of Bidart (French Basque Country)

 

[Architeuthoceras]

Who's right

Those in the report Steve posted in this thread
(mostly about the mammals and birds)

Or those posted here by Phil

Is the answer somewhere in the middle? Unfortunatly marine rocks at the KT boundary do not occur close enough to me that I can find any answers about the ammonoids. The best place is in France (maybe Spartacus can find the answers ) I have seen dinosaur fossils (tyrannosaurs, sauropods and ceratopsians) in the North Horn Formation of Central Utah, they occur within meters of the KT boundary, and do not seem to be on the decline. Do cephalopod or any mollusc shells contain genetic material for study. Do fossil cephalopod shells contain any

As always, more questions than answers

 

[Steve O'Shea]

It's hurting my head too; off to try and keep the live squid live ... much easier to do than get your head around all of this.

 

[Architeuthoceras]

More News

 

[spartacus]

The best place is in France (maybe Spartacus can find the answers

Streuth Kevin, I'm just a simple ex-filtration engineer not Stephen Hawking

I've always held the view, from opinion/research by others, of a steady decline prior to the K/T boundary, but I will lace up my boots, pack the BFH & tramp hundreds of miles to the Spanish border to find out just for you.

Ammonites here in the Vendée are found right up & past the K/T (kitchen/toilet) boundary, in the front room, wine press & in the barn. Hope this helps.