Further evidence supporting high diversity of cyathealean tree ferns in the Early Cretaceous of Antarctica |
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| Institution: | 1. CONICET-Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales “Bernardino Rivadavia”, Av. Ángel Gallardo 470, C1405DJR, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina;2. Área de Paleontología, Departamento de Ciencias Geológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Pabellón II, Ciudad Universitaria, C1428EGA, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina;1. BRE Centre for Fire Safety Engineering, University of Edinburgh, UK;2. School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering, University of Manchester, UK;3. International Paint Ltd, AkzoNobel, Newcastle, UK;4. Arup, London, UK;1. Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration & Development, PetroChina, Beijing 100083, China;2. Yangtze University, Wuhan 430100, China;1. Biostratigraphy Group, Geological Technical Services Division, Saudi Aramco, 31311 Dhahran, Saudi Arabia;3. Department of Geosciences, University of Tulsa, 74104 Tulsa, OK, USA;1. Key Laboratory of Metallogenic Prediction of Nonferrous Metals and Geological Environment Monitoring, Ministry of Education, School of Geosciences and Info-Physics, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China;2. Key Laboratory of Economic Stratigraphy and Palaeogeography, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China;3. School of Earth Sciences and Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China;1. Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Albertov 6, Prague 2, 128 43, Czech Republic;2. Czech Geological Survey, Klárov 3/131, Praha 1, 118 21, Czech Republic |
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| Abstract: | Two new specimens of a cyathealean fern stems collected from the Lower Cretaceous (Aptian) Cerro Negro Formation, which crops out at the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica, are described in detail. The specimens are dictyostelic stems with U-shaped meristeles without sclerenchyma sheaths and petiole bases with numerous, small, vascular strands, and a mantle of adventitious roots. The anatomy of the stems show similarities with Cibotiaceae, but given they are not well preserved, some critical features that would allow a conclusive referral to this family are lacking. Preserved in the surrounding matrix, fragmentary pinnules were found, showing sori with bivalvate indusia, and sporangia with more than 20 spores, attached to an elongate receptacle. The features observed in these fertile remains suggest cyathealean affinities, but are difficult to refer to a particular family. These findings increase the diversity of cyathealean tree ferns in the Cerro Negro Formation, supporting previously suggested warm climatic conditions for this region of Antarctica during the Aptian. |
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| Keywords: | Cyatheales Cyatheaceae Cibotiaceae Lower Cretaceous Antarctica Cerro Negro Formation Fossils Tree ferns |
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