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Re: Why the ammonites?



At 11:47 PM 02/06/02 -0400, dinotracker wrote:
According to the author of the fascinating book, THE GREAT DYING, whose
name I cannot recall off hand, the egg casings of ammonites were primarily
calcium carbonate, while the egg casings of nautiloids were primarily
magnesium carbonate.  Thus, as a result of acid rain, the oceans became
sufficiently acid as to dissolve egg casings of calcium carbonate (those of
ammonites), while egg casings comprised of magnesium carbonate (those of
nautiloids) endured sufficiently to allow the nautiloids to reproduce right
on through the periods of unusually acid oceans.

I have also heard it suggested that ammonites were probably pelagic upper-surface foragers, unlike the deep-water nautilus of today, and that this may somehow have increased their vulnerability. Also, ammonite diversity was dropping well before the K-T, as I recall.



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Ronald I. Orenstein Phone: (905) 820-7886
International Wildlife Coalition Fax/Modem: (905) 569-0116
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