BULLETIN DE L'INSTITUT ROYAL DES SCIENCES NATURELLES DE BELGIQUE SCIENCES DE LA TERRE. 69: 133-154, 1999 BULLETIN VAN HET KONINKLIJK BELGISCH INSTITUUT VOOR NATUURWETENSCHAPPEN AARDWETENSCHAPPEN, 69: 133-154. 1999 Giant scaphitid ammonites from the Maastrichtian of Europe by John W.M. JAGT, W. James KENNEDY & Marcin MACHALSKI Abstract trichtien supérieur, ne peuvent être attribuées avec certitude à un sous- genre. Giant scaphitid ammonites from the Maastrichtian of Europe have Mots-clefs: Ammonoidea, Scaphitidae, Crétacé supérieur, nouveaux generally been assigned to Acanthoscaphites NOWAK, 1911. Prior to taxa. Europe. the present study, this genus comprised five species: A. tridens (KNER. 1848), A. varians (LOPUSKI, 1911), A. verneudianus (D'ORBIGNY, 1841), A. sp. of KENNEDY (1987) and A. sp. of KENNEDY & CHRISTEN¬ SEN (1997). Of the first-named taxon, material from Aachen-Schnee¬ berg of Early Maastrichtian age, including the specimen illustrated by Introduction HOLZAPFEL (1887-89) long thought to have been lost, is described. Recently collected topotype material from Kazimierz Dolny, and from Subsequent to JELETZKY (1951), who used Acanthosca• Rejowiec (Poland), of latest Maastrichtian age {Belemnella kazimiro- viensis Zone), allows A. varians to be revised. Specimens from the late phites tridens as index for the lowest macrofossil zone of Early and early Late Maastrichtian of NW Europe, assigned to A. the Maastrichtian Stage, use of this giant scaphitid as an varians, differ consistently in details of ornament, and are assigned Early Maastrichtian index fossil has appeared in a number to a new subspecies, A. v. blaszkiewiczi n. subsp. Style of ribbing and tuberculation of the varians stock differs from that of A. tridens to such of recent syntheses of Late Cretaceous stratigraphy (KENT an extent that a new subgenus, Euroscaphites n. subgen., is erected, & GRADSTEIN, 1985; HARLAND et ai, 1989). However, with varians as type species. The Late Maastrichtian "Acanthosca- during the 1995 Brussels meeting of the Maastrichtian phites" verneuilianus, only known from phragmocones, is provision• Working Group the genus was not considered as relevant ally assigned to the new subgenus. The other two species previously referred to Acanthoscaphiles. viz. A. sp. of KENNEDY (1987) and A. to the discussion of the definition of the base of the stage sp. of KENNEDY & CHRISTENSEN (1997), both of Late Maastrichtian age. (ODIN, 1996). cannot be assigned confidently to either subgenus. Prior to the present study, this genus comprised five Key words: Ammonoidea, Scaphitidae, Late Cretaceous, new taxa, species: A. tridens (type of the genus), A. varians, A. Europe. verneuilianus, A. sp. of KENNEDY (1987) and A. sp. of KENNEDY & CHRISTENSEN (1997). The aim of the present paper is fourfold: 1 - to illustrate specimens of A. tridens (IRScNB, Bos• Résumé quet Colin) from Aachen-Schneeberg, not previously Les ammonites scaphitides géantes du Maastrichtien d'Europe ont figured. The original of HOLZAPFEL (1887, pi. 5, fig. 1), généralement été assignées à Acanthoscaphites NOWAK, 1911. Avant long thought to have been lost in air raids on the city of cette étude, le genre comprenait cinq espèces: A. tridens (KNER, 1848). Aachen during World War 2, has recently been traced by A. varians (LOPUSKI, 1911), A. verneudianus (D'ORBIGNY, 1841), A. sp. de KENNEDY (1987) et A. sp. de KENNEDY & CHRISTENSEN (1997). Norbert Keutgen and is here refigured; Du matériel d'âge maastrichtien inférieur provenant de Aachen¬ 2 - to document the stratigraphie range of A. tridens into Schneeberg et appartenant au premier taxon est décrit; il inclut le the late Early Maastrichtian (sumensis Zone); spécimen, longtemps considéré comme perdu, figuré par HOLZAPFEL (1887-89). Du matériel topotypique récemment récolté à Kazimierz 3 - to record a second specimen of "A. varians" from Dolny et Rejowiee (Pologne), d'âge maastrichtien terminal (Zone à the early Late Maastrichtian Vijlen 6 Member (sensu BelemneUa kazimiroviensis), a permis de réviser A. varians. Les spé• FELDER, 1997) of the Haccourt-Lixhe area (Liège, Bel• cimens de la fin du Maastrichtien inférieur et du début du Maastrich• tien supérieur du nord-ouest de l'Europe, attribués à A. varians diffè• gium); rent de façon consistante de cette espèce par des détails de l'orne• 4 - to revise Acanthoscaphites varians from the latest mentation et sont assignés à une nouvelle sous-espèce, A. v. blaszkie• Maastrichtian (kazimiroviensis Zone) of central Poland, wiczi n. subsp. Les côtes et tubercules du groupe varians différent de celles et ceux de A. tridens à tel point qu'un nouveau sous-genre, based on recently collected material. Various authors Euroscaphites n. subgen., est fondé avec A. varians commes espèce- (e.g. BLASZKIEWICZ, 1980 and BIRKELUND, 1993) have type. -Acanthoscaphites" verneuilianus, du Maastrichtien supérieur pointed out that the ornament of NW European material et connu uniquement par des phragmocones, est assigné provisoire• ment au nouveau sous-genre. Les deux autres espèces attribuées anté• from lower in the Maastrichtian assigned to this species rieurement au genre Acanthoscaphites, A. sp. de KENNEDY (1987) et differed from that of the Polish type. Late Early/early A. sp. de KENNEDY & CHRISTENSEN (1997). toutes deux d'âge maas• Late Maastrichtian specimens from Belgium, Germany 134 John W.M. JAGT, et al. and Denmark merit separation at the subspecific level, as type species of Jeletzkvtes, Scaphites nodosus OWEN, A. v. blaszkiewiczi n. subsp. Style of ribbing and details of 1852 (p. 581, pi. 8, fig. 4) (see KENNEDY & COBBAN, ornament of A. varians differ from that of A. tridens to 1993, p. 430, figs. 9.5, 17.22-17.25; COBBAN & KENNEDY, such an extent that the erection of a new subgenus, 1994, p. B8, pi. 9, figs. 7-11). Euroscaphites n. subgen., with A. varians as type species, COOPER (1994, p. 188) considered the genus Acantho• is proposed. scaphites to be in the same clade as the North American Rhaeboceras MEEK, 1876 (see revision by COBBAN, 1987) and the micromorphic Ponteixites WARREN, 1934, Conventions for which he erected the subfamily Rhaeboceratmae. noting that derived forms had multinodose body cham• To denote the repositories of specimens the following abbre• bers with siphonal tubercles. Features that Acanthosca• viations are used in the text: EMP - École des Mines collections. phites and Rhaeboceras have in common include large Université Claude Bernard, Lyon; GPIUH - Geologisch-pa• size, tightly coiled body chamber, prorsiradiate flank läontologisches Institut der Universität Hamburg, Hamburg; ribbing and an intricately subdivided suture. IRScNB - Institut royal des Sciences naturelles de Belgique. Brussels; MGUH - Geological Museum of Copenhagen Uni• versity, Copenhagen; MKD - Muzeum Przyrodnicze, Kazi- mierz Dolny; NHMM - Natuurhistorisch Museum Maastricht, Acanthoscaphites (A.) tridens (KNER, 1848) Maastricht (MB - M. van Birgelen Colin); NLfB - Niedersäch• (Text-figs. 1, 2; Pis 1, 2) sisches Landesamt für Bodenforschung, Hannover; RWTH - Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule, Aachen; ZPAL - Instytut Paleobiologii, Polska Akademia Nauk, War• * 1848 Sc. tridens, m. KNER, p. 10, pi. 2, fig. la, b. saw. 1987 Acanthoscaphites tridens (KNER, 1848) - KENNEDY & SUMMESBERGER, p. 36, pi. 4, figs. 1-3; pi. 6, figs. 1-5, 25-28; pi. 7, figs. 1-5; pi. 8, figs. 1-5; pi. 9, figs. 1-4; pi. 10, figs. 1, 2; pi. 11, figs. 1, 2; Systematic palaeontology pi. 12, figs. 1,2; pi. 13, figs. 1, 3,4;pl. 14, figs. 1-3; pi. 15; pi. 16, figs. 1-6 (with full synonymy). family Scaphitidae GILL, 1871 1987 Acanthoscaphites tridens (KNER, 1848) - KENNEDY, Subfamily Scaphitinae GILL, 1871 p. 158, pi. 37, figs. 1-4. 1993 Acanthoscaphites tridens (KNER, 1848) - BIRKI Genus and subgenus Acanthoscaphites NOWAK, 1911, LUND, p. 55, pi. 8, figs. 2-4; pi. 9, fig. 2. p. 565 TYPE TYPE SPECIES: Scaphites tridens KNER, 1848, p. 10, pi. 2, The whereabouts of KNER'S material is unknown. KENNE• fig. la, b, by the subsequent designation of DIENER (1925, DY & SUMMESBERGER (1987, p. 36) indicated that the p. 205). original of KNER (1848, pi. 2, fig. 1) should be designated lectotype, if found. It was from the "Kreidemergel" DIAGNOSIS: "Giant, strongly dimorphic scaphitids with (= Lower Maastrichtian) of Lemberg (now L'vov, wes• whorls in contact throughout; microconchs with open tern Ukraine). umbilicus throughout, macroconchs with umbilicus partly occluded by early part of body chamber. Phragmo- cone with dense ribs arising singly or in pairs from MATERIAL Five macroconchs (IRScNB 10542, IRScNB 10544, RWTH umbilical shoulder with intercalatories of various lengths, KJI/3, RWTH KJI/1, RWTH Lam 1/6), five microconchs ribs sometimes branching. No tubercles, some or all of (RWTH KJI/5, IRScNB 10540, J. Keutgen Coll. AT 3; II. Knoll umbilical, lateral, ventral and siphonal tubercles on some Coll. no. 183, RWTH HO.I/2) and four nuclei (RWTH Lam 1/7, ribs on later parts of phragmocone and early body cham• RWTH KJI/4; IRScNB 10541, IRScNB 10543), all from the ber. End of body chamber invariably bears at least ven• Vijlen Member (Gulpen Formation) of Aachen-Schnceberg and trolateral and siphonal tubercles on some ribs, the latter Aachen. varying from a strong clavus to a mere elevation on the rib. Ribs loop between tubercles which are separated by DESCRIPTION nontuberculate ribs. Aperture with marked constriction. Acanthoscaphites (A.) tridens is the largest known Eu• Suture complex for family." (KENNEDY & SUMMESBER- ropean scaphitid, and shows marked sexual dimorphism GER, 1987, p. 35). of the general type discussed by MAKOWSKI (1963) and COBBAN (1969), and demonstrated for this species by REMARKS: This genus is restricted to the Early Maastrich• KENNEDY & SUMMESBERGER (1987). tian; records from the Late Campanian (see e.g. WRIGHT, Microconchs (PI. 1, Figs. 2,4-6; PI. 2, Fig. 5) vary from 1996) have been shown to be based on species of the 80-130 mm in diameter, macroconchs (PI. 1, Fig. 1; PI. 2, scaphitid Jeletzkvtes RKCARDI, 1983. Acanthoscaphites Figs. 2, 4; Text-figs. 1, 2) from 130-250 mm.