Ammonites have disparate adult morphologies indicative of diverse ecological niches, but ammonite hatchlings are small (~1 mm diameter), which raises questions about the similarity of egg incubation and hatchling life mode in ammonites. Modern Nautilus is sometimes used as a model organism for understanding ammonites, but despite their outward similarities, the groups are only distantly related. Trends in ammonite diversity and extinction vulnerability in the fossil record contrast starkly with those of nautilids, and embryonic shells from Late Cretaceous ammonites are two orders of magnitude smaller than nautilid embryonic shells. To investigate possible environmental changes experienced by ammonite hatchlings, we used secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) to analyze the oxygen and carbon isotope composition of the embryonic shells and early postembryonic whorls of five juveniles of Hoploscaphites comprimus obtained from a single concretion in the Fox Hills Formation of South Dakota. Co-occurring bivalves and diagenetic calcite were also analyzed to provide a benthic baseline for comparison. The oxygen isotope ratios of embryonic shells are more like those of benthic bivalves, suggesting that ammonite eggs were laid on the bottom. Ammonite shell immediately after hatching has more negative δ18O, suggesting movement to more shallow water that is potentially warmer and/or fresher. After approximately one whorl of postembryonic growth, the values of δ18O become more positive in three of the five individuals, suggesting that these animals transitioned to a more demersal mode of life. Two other individuals transition to even lower δ18O values that could suggest movement to nearshore brackish water. These data suggest that ammonites, like many modern coleoids, may have spawned at different times of the year. Because scaphites were one of the short-term K-Pg survivors, it is possible that this characteristic allowed them to develop a broader geographic range and, consequently, a greater resistance to extinction.
SI 6 d18 O SIMS table
Excel file of SIMS analyses on samples and standards for large and small δ18O analysis spot sizes. Column descriptions are included in the file as a footer.
SI 6 d18 O SIMS total table.xlsx
SI 7 d13 C SIMS table
Excel file containing all SIMS analyses on samples and standards for δ13C. Column descriptions are included in the file as a footer.
SI 7 d13 C SIMS total table.xlsx
SI 8 Phos acid isotope micromill
Results from gas-source mass spectrometry conducted at Isolab – University of Washington.
Figure SI 9 Beanplot O C
Beanplot showing the distribution of d18O and d13C measurements grouped by method (SIMS vs phosphoric acid digestion gas source mass spectrometry [Phos]) and material (ammonite = Am, bivalve = Bi, diagenetic infill = D).
Figure SI 10 Crossplot O C
Crossplots of d18O and d13C from SIMS and gas source mass spectrometry measurements. Calculated aragonite values are shown for d18O of material that was calcite. Points are coded by material, method, and mount. Pairing SIMS d18O and d13C was done by distance along shell.
SI 11 Tukey HSD contrasts
Excel file summarizing the Tukey's Honestly Significant Differences test for multiple contrasts of the equality of mean d18O values. Analysis conducted in R using TukeyHSD() Multiple contrasts are conduced within each individual mount by comparing the embryonic (E), varix (V), first whorl (1), and second whorl (2).
SI 1 J 125 Sample map
Flat summary map of J-125 sample surface with reflected light and scanning electron microscopy imagery overlain. Individual SIMS pits are annotated with the file name. Point locations are colored points near the visible SIMS pit images. Navigation of this page can be done by zooming in or searching the PDF for individual pit file names. Higher resolution images of pits are available upon request.
SI 2 J 145 Sample map
Flat summary map of J-145 sample surface with reflected light and scanning electron microscopy imagery overlain. Individual SIMS pits are annotated with the file name. Point locations are colored points near the visible SIMS pit images. Navigation of this page can be done by zooming in or searching the PDF for individual pit file names.
SI 3 J 209 Sample map
Flat summary map of J-209 sample surface with reflected light and scanning electron microscopy imagery overlain. Individual SIMS pits are annotated with the file name. Point locations are colored points near the visible SIMS pit images. Navigation of this page can be done by zooming in or searching the PDF for individual pit file names. Higher resolution images of pits are available upon request.
SI 4 J 215 Sample map
Flat summary map of J-215 sample surface with reflected light and scanning electron microscopy imagery overlain. Individual SIMS pits are annotated with the file name. Point locations are colored points near the visible SIMS pit images. Navigation of this page can be done by zooming in or searching the PDF for individual pit file names.
SI 5 J 273 Sample map
Flat summary map of J-273 sample surface with reflected light and scanning electron microscopy imagery overlain. Individual SIMS pits are annotated with the file name. Point locations are colored points near the visible SIMS pit images. Navigation of this page can be done by zooming in or searching the PDF for individual pit file names. Higher resolution images of pits are available upon request.