Angola - Africa

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Polcyn, M., Jacobs L., Strganac C., Mateus O., Myers S., May S., Araujo R., Schulp A., & Morais M. (2014).  Geology and paleoecology of a marine vertebrate bonebed from the lower Maastrichtian of Angola. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. Program and Abstracts, 2014, 206.polcyn_et_al._2014_geology_and_paleoecology_of_a_marine_vertebrate_bonebed_from_the_lower_maastrichtian_of_angola.pdf
Polcyn, M. J., Jacobs L. L., Ara´ujo R., Schulp A. S., & Mateus O. (2014).  Physical drivers of mosasaur evolution. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. 400, 17-27. Abstractpolcyn_et_al_2014_physical_drivers_mosasaurs.pdf

Mosasaurs are marine squamates with a 32.5 million-year history from their appearance at 98 Ma to their extinction at the K-Pg boundary (65.5 Ma). Using a database of 43 generic and 94 species-level taxa, we compare the taxonomic diversity and patterns of morphological disparity in mosasaurs with sea level, sea surface temperature, and stable carbon isotope curves for the Upper Cretaceous to explore factors that may have influenced their evolution. No single factor unambiguously accounts for all radiations, diversification, and extinctions; however, the broader patterns of taxonomic diversification and
morphological disparity point to niche differentiation in a “fishing up” scenario under the influence of “bottom-up” selective pressures. The most likely driving force in mosasaur evolution was high productivity in the Late Cretaceous, driven by tectonically controlled sea levels and climatically controlled ocean stratification and nutrient delivery. When productivity collapsed at the end of the Cretaceous, coincident with bolide impact, mosasaurs became extinct.

Strganac, C., Salminen J., Jacobs L. L., Ferguson K. M., Polcyn M. J., Mateus O., Schulp A. S., Morais M. L., Tavares T. S., & Gonçalves A. O. (2014).  Carbon isotope stratigraphy and 40Ar/39Ar age of the Cretaceous South Atlantic coast, Namibe Basin, Angola. Journal of African Earth Sciences. onine, 1-11. Abstractstrganac_et_al_2014_carbon_isotope_stratigraphy_magnetostratigraphy_and_40ar_39ar_age_of.pdfWebsite

We present the δ13C and paleomagnetic stratigraphy for marine strata at the coast of southern Angola, anchored by an intercalated basalt with a whole rock 40Ar/39Ar radiometric age of 84.6 ± 1.5 Ma, being consistent with both invertebrate and vertebrate biostratigraphy. This is the first African stable carbon isotope record correlated to significant events in the global carbon cycle spanning the Late Cenomanian to Early Maastrichtian. A positive ∼ 3‰ excursion seen in bivalve shells below the basalt indicates the Cenomanian-Turonian Boundary Event at 93.9 Ma, during Oceanic Anoxic Event 2. Additional excursions above the basalt are correlated to patterns globally, including a negative ∼ 3‰ excursion near the top of the section interpreted as part of the Campanian-Maastrichtian Boundary Events. The age of the basalt ties the studied Bentiaba section to a pulse of Late Cretaceous magmatic activity around the South Atlantic and significant tectonic activity, including rotation, of the African continent.

Polcyn, M. J., Jacobs L. L., Strganac C., Mateus O., Myers T. S., May S., Araújo R., Schulp A. S., & Morais M. L. (2014).  Geological and paleoecological setting of a marine vertebrate bonebed from the Lower Maastrichtian at Bentiaba, Angola. Secondary Adaptation of Tetrapods to Aquatic Life. , 2-4 Jun 2014, Washington DC, USA
Schulp, A. S., Polcyn M. J., Mateus O., & Jacobs L. L. (2013).  Two rare mosasaurs from the Maastrichtian of Angola and the Netherlands. Netherlands Journal of Geosciences — Geologie en Mijnbouw. 92(1), 3-10. Abstractschulp_et_al_2013_two_rare_mosasaurs_from_the_maastrichtian_of_angola__njg-92-1-schulp.pdf

We report here the addition of two rare mosasaur taxa to the Maastrichtian marine amniote fauna of Angola. The new specimens include a dentary fragment referable to the large carnivore Prognathodon saturator and an isolated tooth of the small durophage Carinodens belgicus. Both were recovered from Maastrichtian outcrops in southern Angola in 2011. Additionally, a complete posterior mandibular unit of a large mosasaur from the type Maastrichtian of The Netherlands, collected some time prior to 1879 and previously identified as ‘Mosasaurus giganteus’, is described and reassigned here to Prognathodon saturator; historical issues surrounding the taxonomic attribution of this specimen are clarified. The new material extends the known geographic distribution of Prognathodon saturator and Carinodens belgicus.

Strganac, C., Jacobs L. L., Ferguson K. M., Polcyn M. J., Mateus O., Schulp A. S., & Morais M. L. (2013).  Late Cretaceous marine reptiles and cooling at the South Atlantic coast inferred through stable oxygen isotopes of Inoceramus from the Namibe Basin, Angola. Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 45, No. 7, p.0.
Polcyn, M. J., Jacobs L. L., Mateus O., Schulp A. S., Strganac C., Araújo R., Graf J. F., Vineyard D., & Myers T. S. (2013).  A marine vertebrate assemblage from the Campanian-Maastrichtian boundary at Bentiaba, Angola. Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 45, No. 7, p.0. polcyn_et_al_2013_abstract__a_marine_vertebrate_assemblage_from_the_campanian-maastrichtian_boundary_at_bentiaba_angola_2013__gsa_27-30_october_2013.pdf
Jacobs, L. L., Myers T. S., Goncalves A. O., Graf J. F., Jacobs B. F., KAPPELMAN J. W., Mateus O., Polcyn M. J., RASBURY E. T., & Vineyard D. P. (2013).  Cabinda revisited: age and environment of new Cenozoic vertebrate fossils from northern Angola. Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 45, No. 7, p.0.
Strganac, C., Ferguson, K.M, Jacobs J. L., Polcyn M. J., & Mateus O. (2012).  Age and paleoecology of mosasaurs and plesiosaurs from the Late Cretaceous South Atlantic margin at Bentiaba, Angola. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, Program and Abstracts, 2012. 180.strganac_et_al_mateus_2012_age_bentiaba_angola_2012_svp_abstract.pdf
Mateus, O., Polcyn M. J., Jacobs L. L., Araújo R., Schulp A. S., Marinheiro J., Pereira B., & Vineyard D. (2012).  Cretaceous amniotes from Angola: dinosaurs, pterosaurs, mosasaurs, plesiosaurs, and turtles. V Jornadas Internacionales sobre Paleontología de Dinosaurios y su Entorno. 71-105., Salas de los Infantes, Burgos Abstractmateus_et_al_2012_amniotes_from_angola_cretaceous_amniotes_from_angola_dinosaurs_pterosaurs_mosasaurs.pdf

Although rich in Cretaceous vertebrate fossils, prior to 2005 the amniote fossil record of Angola was poorly known. Two horizons and localities have yielded the majority of the vertebrate fossils collected thus far; the Turonian Itombe Formation of Iembe in Bengo Province and the Maastrichtian Mocuio Formation of Bentiaba in Namibe Province. Amniotes of the Mesozoic of Angola are currently restricted to the Cretaceous and include eucryptodire turtles, plesiosaurs, mosasaurs, pterosaurs, and dinosaurs. Recent collecting efforts have greatly expanded our knowledge of the amniote fauna of Angola and most of the taxa reported here were unknown prior to 2005.