Open AccessGymnosperms from the Early Cretaceous Crato Formation (Brazil). II. Cheirolepidiaceae
Author(s) -
Kunzmann Lutz,
Mohr Barbara A. R.,
BernardesdeOliveira Mary E. C.,
Wilde Volker
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
fossil record
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.694
H-Index - 19
eISSN - 1860-1014
pISSN - 1435-1943
DOI - 10.1002/mmng.200600009
Subject(s) - cretaceous , taxon , biology , flora (microbiology) , genus , zoology , paleontology , geography , ecology , bacteria
Conifers are common in the Early Cretaceous Crato flora. Sterile foliage shoots of several morphotypes occur. Good preservation of several of these specimens allows detailed morphological and anatomical studies. Based on these characters, two taxa of Cheirolepidiaceae, Tomaxellia biforme and Frenelopsis sp . , are identified. The palaeogeographic distribution of the genus Tomaxellia currently extends from southern South America northwards to the palaeoequatorial region. The morphological and anatomical characters of both taxa might be interpreted as adaptations to a warm and temporarily dry palaeoclimate, however their habitat can not be reconstructed yet, due to scarcity of the remains. (© 2006 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)