Polymorphism in Late Cretaceous phylloceratid ammonoids: evidence from ontogenetic trajectories of septal spacing

AbstractThe ontogenetic trajectories of septal spacing between succeeding chambers of two phylloceratid ammonoids, Hypophylloceras subramosum and Phyllopachyceras ezoense, from the Haboro and Kotanbetsu areas, north‐western Hokkaido, Japan, were analysed. The ontogenetic trajectories of septal spacing of H. subramosum demonstrate a general trend with large intraspecific variation: two cycles of increasing to decreasing spacing followed by almost constant spacing. The large intraspecific variation can be subdivided into three types, making this species polymorphic. The ontogenetic trajectories of septal spacing of P. ezoense also show intraspecific variation, but with a different trend: one cycle of increasing to decreasing spacing and an increasing trend after that. The intraspecific variation can be subdivided into two types, which suggests that this species is dimorphic, possibly sexually dimorphic. Dimorphism is supported by two observations: (1) the difference in the ontogenetic trajectories of septal spacing is only seen in the later ontogenetic stages; and (2) the two types co‐occur with comparable abundance throughout all stratigraphic horizons. Detailed analyses of ontogenetic trajectories of septal spacing may reveal polymorphism in other ammonoid clades.