Ontogeny and variability in ribbing of Late Valanginian lamellaptychi (Ammonitina)

Abstract

Late Valanginian (Early Cretaceous) lamellaptychi of the genus Mortilletilamellaptychus were collected from seven ammonite-controlled sections in south-eastern France demonstrate distinct changes in ribbing during growth. Simpler juvenile ribbing, which is essentially uniform for all of the specimens studied, differs distinctly from the complicated arrangement of the adult ribs. Changes in ribbing morphology were observed in the five species studied, two of which were identified as new (i.e. Mortilletilamellaptychus heterocostatus sp. nov. and M. bicostatus sp. nov.).