Reconstructing paleotrophic relationships on the Brazilian Romualdo Formation (Lower Cretaceous) through mercury analysis in fossils
Mercury (Hg) biomagnification values tend to reflect relationships between species in the trophic web, where larger values indicate higher positions in the web. Herein, we present a pioneering attempt to reconstruct the paleotrophic linkages during the onset of the Romualdo Formation in the Araripe...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Earth Science |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2025.1551085/full |
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| author | Lucas Silveira Antonietto Igor Hamid Borja Holgado Borja Holgado Antonio Leite Rocha Maria Andréia Ferreira Antônio Álamo Feitosa Saraiva Luiz Drude de Lacerda Rafael Costa da Silva |
| author_facet | Lucas Silveira Antonietto Igor Hamid Borja Holgado Borja Holgado Antonio Leite Rocha Maria Andréia Ferreira Antônio Álamo Feitosa Saraiva Luiz Drude de Lacerda Rafael Costa da Silva |
| author_sort | Lucas Silveira Antonietto |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Mercury (Hg) biomagnification values tend to reflect relationships between species in the trophic web, where larger values indicate higher positions in the web. Herein, we present a pioneering attempt to reconstruct the paleotrophic linkages during the onset of the Romualdo Formation in the Araripe Basin (northeastern Brazil) based on analyses of the Hg concentrations ([Hg]) in fossil specimens recorded in this lithological unit. To understand these relationships, several vertebrate taxa were analyzed through cold vapor generation atomic absorption spectrometry (CV-AAS) to quantify [Hg] in both fossils ([Hg]Fossil) and their surrounding concretions ([Hg]Rock). The observed ratios (log[Hg]Sample) indicate greater biomagnification with changes in the feeding habits and sizes of the evaluated vertebrate taxa; the lowest values were observed in the small actinopterygian fish genera Rhacolepis and Tharrhias while the peak values were noted in large predators like Cladocyclus and Calamopleurus (apex species of the trophic pyramid). The feeding habits of Vinctifer were also reviewed, and the genus was reinterpreted from a filter feeder to a mesopredator; Neoproscinetes and an unidentified batoid ray (Chondrichthyes) were two durophagous bottom-feeding taxa that showed values compatible with their predicted feeding habits. Low values of the log[Hg]Sample ratios were observed in the ornithocheiraean pterosaurs (Reptilia), suggesting these were mesopredators specializing in smaller fish species, while Thalassodrominae presented intermediate-to-high log[Hg]Sample values, indicating their unique trophic role as terrestrial opportunistic generalists, ranging from predators to scavengers. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-7e52fd50d2ad4f989ff61538e2a176d7 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2296-6463 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Earth Science |
| spelling | doaj-art-7e52fd50d2ad4f989ff61538e2a176d72025-08-20T03:50:49ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Earth Science2296-64632025-07-011310.3389/feart.2025.15510851551085Reconstructing paleotrophic relationships on the Brazilian Romualdo Formation (Lower Cretaceous) through mercury analysis in fossilsLucas Silveira Antonietto0Igor Hamid1Borja Holgado2Borja Holgado3Antonio Leite Rocha4Maria Andréia Ferreira5Antônio Álamo Feitosa Saraiva6Luiz Drude de Lacerda7Rafael Costa da Silva8Museu de Paleontologia Plácido Cidade Nuvens, Regional University of Cariri, Santana do Cariri, BrazilInstituto de Ciências do Mar, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, BrazilMuseu de Paleontologia Plácido Cidade Nuvens, Regional University of Cariri, Santana do Cariri, BrazilInstitut Català de Paleontologia Miquel Crusafont, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, SpainLaboratório de Paleontologia da URCA, Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Regional University of Cariri, Crato, BrazilInstituto de Ciências do Mar, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, BrazilLaboratório de Paleontologia da URCA, Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Regional University of Cariri, Crato, BrazilInstituto de Ciências do Mar, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, BrazilEarth Sciences Museum, Geological Survey of Brazil, Rio de Janeiro, BrazilMercury (Hg) biomagnification values tend to reflect relationships between species in the trophic web, where larger values indicate higher positions in the web. Herein, we present a pioneering attempt to reconstruct the paleotrophic linkages during the onset of the Romualdo Formation in the Araripe Basin (northeastern Brazil) based on analyses of the Hg concentrations ([Hg]) in fossil specimens recorded in this lithological unit. To understand these relationships, several vertebrate taxa were analyzed through cold vapor generation atomic absorption spectrometry (CV-AAS) to quantify [Hg] in both fossils ([Hg]Fossil) and their surrounding concretions ([Hg]Rock). The observed ratios (log[Hg]Sample) indicate greater biomagnification with changes in the feeding habits and sizes of the evaluated vertebrate taxa; the lowest values were observed in the small actinopterygian fish genera Rhacolepis and Tharrhias while the peak values were noted in large predators like Cladocyclus and Calamopleurus (apex species of the trophic pyramid). The feeding habits of Vinctifer were also reviewed, and the genus was reinterpreted from a filter feeder to a mesopredator; Neoproscinetes and an unidentified batoid ray (Chondrichthyes) were two durophagous bottom-feeding taxa that showed values compatible with their predicted feeding habits. Low values of the log[Hg]Sample ratios were observed in the ornithocheiraean pterosaurs (Reptilia), suggesting these were mesopredators specializing in smaller fish species, while Thalassodrominae presented intermediate-to-high log[Hg]Sample values, indicating their unique trophic role as terrestrial opportunistic generalists, ranging from predators to scavengers.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2025.1551085/fullAraripe Basingeochemistrymercury cyclepaleoecologyVertebrata |
| spellingShingle | Lucas Silveira Antonietto Igor Hamid Borja Holgado Borja Holgado Antonio Leite Rocha Maria Andréia Ferreira Antônio Álamo Feitosa Saraiva Luiz Drude de Lacerda Rafael Costa da Silva Reconstructing paleotrophic relationships on the Brazilian Romualdo Formation (Lower Cretaceous) through mercury analysis in fossils Frontiers in Earth Science Araripe Basin geochemistry mercury cycle paleoecology Vertebrata |
| title | Reconstructing paleotrophic relationships on the Brazilian Romualdo Formation (Lower Cretaceous) through mercury analysis in fossils |
| title_full | Reconstructing paleotrophic relationships on the Brazilian Romualdo Formation (Lower Cretaceous) through mercury analysis in fossils |
| title_fullStr | Reconstructing paleotrophic relationships on the Brazilian Romualdo Formation (Lower Cretaceous) through mercury analysis in fossils |
| title_full_unstemmed | Reconstructing paleotrophic relationships on the Brazilian Romualdo Formation (Lower Cretaceous) through mercury analysis in fossils |
| title_short | Reconstructing paleotrophic relationships on the Brazilian Romualdo Formation (Lower Cretaceous) through mercury analysis in fossils |
| title_sort | reconstructing paleotrophic relationships on the brazilian romualdo formation lower cretaceous through mercury analysis in fossils |
| topic | Araripe Basin geochemistry mercury cycle paleoecology Vertebrata |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2025.1551085/full |
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