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Article: Ecological stasis in Spinicaudata (Crustacea, Branchiopoda)? Early Cretaceous clam shrimp of the Yixian Formation of north‐east China occupied a broader realized ecological niche than extant members of the group

Palaeontology - Vol. 62 Part 3 - Cover Image
Publication: Palaeontology
Volume: 62
Part: 3
Publication Date: May 2019
Page(s): 483 513
Author(s): Manja Hethke, Franz T. Fürsich, Baoyu Jiang, Bo Wang, Patrick Chellouche, and Stephen C. Weeks
Addition Information

How to Cite

HETHKE, M., FüRSICH, F.T., JIANG, B., WANG, B., CHELLOUCHE, P., WEEKS, S.C. 2019. Ecological stasis in Spinicaudata (Crustacea, Branchiopoda)? Early Cretaceous clam shrimp of the Yixian Formation of north‐east China occupied a broader realized ecological niche than extant members of the group. Palaeontology, 62, 3, 483-513. DOI: /doi/10.1111/pala.12412

Author Information

  • Manja Hethke - GeoZentrum Nordbayern Universität Erlangen‐Nürnberg Loewenichstraße 28 91054 Erlangen Germany
  • Manja Hethke - Institut für Geologische Wissenschaften Freie Universität Berlin Malteserstraße 74‐100 D‐12249 Berlin Germany
  • Franz T. Fürsich - GeoZentrum Nordbayern Universität Erlangen‐Nürnberg Loewenichstraße 28 91054 Erlangen Germany
  • Baoyu Jiang - School of Earth Sciences & Engineering Nanjing University 163 Xianlin Avenue Qixia District Nanjing 210046 China
  • Bo Wang - State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology & Stratigraphy Nanjing Institute of Geology & Palaeontology & Center for Excellence in Life & Paleoenvironment Chinese Academy of Sciences 39 East Beijing Road Nanjing 210008 China
  • Patrick Chellouche - GeoZentrum Nordbayern Universität Erlangen‐Nürnberg Loewenichstraße 28 91054 Erlangen Germany
  • Patrick Chellouche - Museum am Schölerberg Abteilung Geowissenschaften Klaus‐Strick‐Weg 10 D‐49082 Osnabrück Germany
  • Stephen C. Weeks - Department of Biology The University of Akron Akron OH 44325‐3908 USA

Publication History

  • Issue published online: 22 April 2019
  • Manuscript Accepted: 08 October 2018
  • Manuscript Received: 24 April 2018

Funded By

Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung. Grant Number: CN11/019
National Natural Science Foundation of China. Grant Numbers: 41572010, 41622201, 41688103
Strategic Priority Research Program (B) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Grant Number: XDB26000000

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Abstract

The palaeoecology of Spinicaudata, the dominant group of benthic invertebrates in many pre‐Cenozoic freshwater environments, remains poorly understood. In analogy with extant taxa, it has been oversimplified and often reduced to shallow, temporary environments characterized by few trophic levels, implying ecological stasis from the Devonian to the Recent. We excavated 43 horizons of the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation (Anjiagou and Hengdaozi beds) to evaluate whether spinicaudatan ecology can be simplified to such an extent. Sedimentological evidence suggests general perennial conditions during the excavated lake interval. Based on 33 226 specimen counts, we identified three arthropod‐dominated macrobenthic associations and two assemblages. Response curves indicate that the spinicaudatan Eosestheria middendorfii was exceptionally tolerant to environmental gradients, followed, in decreasing order, by mayfly larvae, water boatmen and oligochaetes. Many spinicaudatan‐yielding layers represent death after reproductive senescence rather than mass‐mortality events. Spinicaudatan size varies significantly according to faunal association. A forward stepwise regression model suggests that growth responded to population density and diversity: lower densities and higher diversities triggered fast growth, and vice versa. The proposed strong density effect on carapace size has been corroborated by rearing experiments: as for E. middendorfii, natural log regression provided the best fit for the two extant species Eulimnadia texana and Eocyzicus argillaquus. Hence, E. middendorfii was a tolerant and morphologically variable species adapted to perennial waters and the frequent presence of higher trophic levels. Although there are rare records of extant taxa co‐occurring with fish, the described Early Cretaceous environment is commonly not inhabited by extant Spinicaudata.

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