Schrank E. Variability and Morphology of Some Pteridophytic Spores from the Early Cretaceous (Albian) of the Negev, Israel

Research Paper

Botanica Pacifica. A journal of plant science and conservation Preprint
Article first published online: 26 SEP 2015 | DOI: 10.17581/bp.2015.04206

Variability and Morphology of Some Pteridophytic Spores from the Early Cretaceous (Albian) of the Negev, Israel

Eckart Schrank

Institut für Angewandte Geowissenschaften, Technische Universität Berlin, EB10, Strasse des 17. Juni 145, D-10623 Berlin, Germany

An independently dated locality at Makhtesh Qatan, northern Negev, has yielded rich paleobotanical and palynological material of Albian age. The palynoflora is dominated by pteridophytic spores, mainly trilete, laevigate forms, while gymnospermous and angiospermous pollen grains occur as subordinate elements. In this paper emphasis is placed on some pteridophytic spores which are illustrated using light microscopy (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The following laevigate spores are discussed: Cibotiumspora jurienensis, Dictyophyllidites harrisii, Dictyophyllidites cf. harrisii and Dictyophyllidites mesozoicus. Apiculate and cicatricose forms include Concavissimisporites punctatus, Concavissimisporites cf. variverrucatus, Osmundacidites sp. 1, Gemmatriletes clavatus and Cicatricosisporites avnimelechi. Most pteridophytic spores are stratigraphically long-ranging and have a wide distribution. However, Cicatricosisporites avnimelechi is generally not younger than Albian and mainly restricted to the African-South American Microfloral Province.

Шранк Э. Вариабельность и морфология некоторых папоротниковидных спор из раннего мела (альб) пустыни Негев, Израиль. Местонахождение ископаемых остатков Махтеш Катан в Северном Негеве, возраст которого однозначно определен рядом экспертов, дало богатый палеоботанический и палинологический материал альбского возраста. В палинофлоре преобладают споры папоротниковидных, главным образом, трилетных гладких форм, в то время как пыльца голосеменных и покрытосеменных уступает по количеству. В статье уделяется внимание спорам некоторых папоротниковидных, которые изучены с помощью световой и сканирующей электронной микроскопии. Обсуждаются гладкие споры следующих видов: Cibotiumspora jurienensis, Dictyophyllidites harrisii, Dictyophyllidites cf. harrisii и Dictyophyllidites mesozoicus. Угловатые и цикадовидные формы характерны для Concavissimisporites punctatus, Concavissimisporites cf. variverrucatus, Osmundacidites sp. 1, Gemmatriletes clavatus и Cicatricosisporites avnimelechi. Большинство спор видов папоротниковидных имеют широкий стратиграфический спектр и широко распространены. Тем не менее, Cicatricosisporites avnimelechi, как правило, не моложе альба, а его распространение, в основном, ограничивается африкано-южноамериканской микрофлористической провинцией.

Keywords: pteridophytic spores, Cretaceous, Albian, Negev, Israel, папоротниковидные споры, меловой период, альб, Негев, Израиль

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