Non‐selectivity in extinction of bivalves in the Late Cretaceous of the Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain of North America

Abstract

It has been suggested that the biogeographic and clade‐level characteristics of marine invertebrate groups important in survival through mass extinctions are different from those important in survival during normal times. The role played by ecologically important characters in survival across mass extinctions, however, has not been well‐studied. We obtained information from the literature about the feeding mode and morphology, burrowing habits, size and depth below sea‐level inhabited, temperature range, shell thickness, species richness and abundance of bivalve genera present in the Late Cretaceous of the Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain of North America. Non‐parametric analysis revealed that there were no significant associations between any of these characteristics and survival across the Cretaceous‐Tertiary boundary. This lack of selectivity may be due to varying local conditions, which favor different ecological characteristics in each area and produce no overall pattern of selectivity. It might also be indicative of the severity of this extinction on bivalves — differences in ecological habits may have been virtually irrelevant to survivorship through this event. Copyright © 1995, Wiley Blackwell. All rights reserved