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A diminutive pterosaur from the uppermost Maastrichtian chalk of Denmark
A diminutive pterosaur, represented by a fragment of a finger bone, has been discovered in the uppermost Maastrichtian chalk at Møns Klint, part of the UNESCO World Heritage site Stevns Klint. This specimen, identified as a proximal phalanx from digit IV, challenges previous hypotheses about Late Cretaceous niche partitioning by showing that small-bodied pterosaurs with wingspans under 50 cm coexisted with birds during the final stages of the Cretaceous period. The discovery, made in the Højerup Member of the Møns Klint Formation at Holtug quarry, provides the first record of pterosaurs from Denmark's chalk and suggests that size-based competition avoidance was not a defining factor for these flying reptiles.
Descriptive text to the Geological map of Denmark, 1:50 000, Møn 1511 I, 1511 IV and 1512 II
Møns Klint, a UNESCO World Heritage Site on the island of Møn, Denmark, showcases a unique glaciotectonic complex formed by the advance and retreat of the Young Baltic Ice during the Weichselian glaciation. This study reveals that the E–W trending composite ridges, including the highest point Aborrebjerg (143 m a.s.l.), are composed of thrust-fault-displaced chalk sheets with significant vertical displacement (up to 150 m). The research also identifies new geological formations, such as the Kobbelgård and Stubberup Have Formations, deposited during the Middle Weichselian. Additionally, it describes the formation of a glacial lobe along Hjelm Bugt and radial spillways like Borre and Maglemose depressions, which later became fjords. The study integrates detailed mapping, stratigraphic analysis, and glaciodynamic interpretations to reconstruct Møn's complex geological history, providing insights into its Quaternary evolution.
Kortbladsbeskrivelse, Geologisk kort over Danmark, 1:50 000, Møn Dele af 1511 I, 1511 IV og 1512 II
Møns Klint reveals complex glacial and geological dynamics shaped by multiple ice advances during the Weichselian glaciation. The site's distinctive chalk cliffs are part of tectonically uplifted layers, up to 80 meters thick, with underlying Maastrichtian chalk extending to depths of -25 to -40 meters. Research identifies four distinct glacial sequences, including the Møns Klint Glacialdynamical Complex, formed during the Ungbaltic Ice Advance (~17,000 years ago), which reoriented the chalk layers and created radial meltwater channels. Post-glacial transgressions during the Holocene transformed these channels into fjords, later filled with peat deposits as marine forelands expanded. The study integrates geological mapping (1:50,000 scale) with stratigraphic analysis to reconstruct Møn's morphologic evolution, highlighting its significance as a record of Quaternary glaciations and post-glacial landscape changes.
Recurrent hybridisation events between Primula vulgaris , P . veris and P . elatior (Primulaceae, Ericales) challenge the species boundaries: using molecular markers to re‐evaluate morphological identifications
Recurrent hybridisation between Primula vulgaris, P. veris, and P. elatior challenges traditional species boundaries at Møns Klint, Denmark. Genetic analysis of 168 specimens revealed that many previously identified hybrids, such as P. × digenea (P. vulgaris × P. elatior) and P. × polyantha (P. veris × P. vulgaris), are later-generation backcrosses rather than first-generation hybrids. Molecular markers also uncovered unexpected ancestry in some specimens, including P. veris genetic material in a P. vulgaris plant, suggesting greater genetic exchange than previously recognised. The study used species-specific SNPs, chloroplast trn L polymorphisms, and simple sequence repeats to re-evaluate morphological identifications, providing insights into hybridisation dynamics that complicate taxonomic distinctions.
Thrust-fault architecture of glaciotectonic complexes in Denmark
A glaciotectonic complex affecting comparable rock units to those at Møns Klint was recently recognized in seismic sections from Jammerbugten in the North Sea, providing a unique opportunity for comparative studies of upper and lower structural levels in thin-skinned thrust-fault deformation. The study highlights the importance of the décollement zone, located 50 to 100 meters below sea level, which separates undeformed bedrock from displaced thrust-sheet units. While structures above sea level at Møns Klint are well-documented, those below remain poorly understood and require further documentation despite previous modeling efforts.
The lower Maastrichtian Hvidskud succession, Møns Klint, Denmark: calcareous nannofossil biostratigraphy, carbon isotope stratigraphy, and bulk and brachiopod oxygen isotopes.
Research at Møns Klint, Denmark, reveals that the lower Maastrichtian Hvidskud succession provides critical insights into early Maastrichtian climate and stratigraphy. The study establishes a precise age model for the succession, dating its base to approximately 70.9 million years ago and spanning over 680 thousand years. This includes detailed calcareous nannofossil biostratigraphy and carbon isotope stratigraphy, correlating with brachiopod zonation and global geochronological tie-points. The findings suggest that the Danish Chalk Sea experienced bottom water temperatures of 13.6 to 14.3°C during this period, offering a snapshot of early Maastrichtian cooling. The well-exposed Hvidskud succession serves as a key locality for stratigraphic correlation in northwestern Europe, enhancing our understanding of Cretaceous paleoenvironmental conditions.
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