A new study challenges the view that ammonoids were declining before their extinction 66 million years ago, showing instead that they remained diverse and robust globally. This research highlights that their extinction was influenced by varied geographic and environmental factors, rather than being an inevitable outcome. Ammonites basking under the Late Cretaceous sun. Credit: Artwork by Callum Pursall
A recent study utilized museum collections to chart global ammonite diversity prior to their complete extinction. The findings reveal that ammonites were not declining before they perished alongside non-avian dinosaurs 66 million years ago.
A new study published in the journal DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49462-z