An ammonite-fish association from the Kimmeridgian (Upper Jurassic) of La Rochelle, western France - INSU - Institut national des sciences de l'Univers Access content directly
Journal Articles Lethaia Year : 2009

An ammonite-fish association from the Kimmeridgian (Upper Jurassic) of La Rochelle, western France

Romain Vullo
Lionel Cavin

Abstract

A partially disarticulated actinopterygian fish preserved in a large three-dimensional ammonite body chamber is described from the Kimmeridgian of western France. Taphonomic observations on the degree of preservation of the fish and the development of epibiont organisms on the inner wall of the shell indicate a rather long time interval before sediment totally filled the body chamber. The fish, referred to an indeterminate Macrosemiidae, probably used this empty ammonite (Rasenioides, Aulacostephanidae) shell as a refuge, or possibly for spawning and/or brooding. It can be assumed that ammonite shells may have constituted common shelters for demersal fishes living in an open-marine shelf environment, near to a muddy bottom devoid of rocks.

Dates and versions

insu-00553858 , version 1 (10-01-2011)

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Romain Vullo, Lionel Cavin, Vincent Clochard. An ammonite-fish association from the Kimmeridgian (Upper Jurassic) of La Rochelle, western France. Lethaia, 2009, 42 (4), pp.462-468. ⟨10.1111/j.1502-3931.2009.00153.x⟩. ⟨insu-00553858⟩
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