The fern Konijnenburgia alata in the mid-Cretaceous of Patagonia, and the Matoniaceae fossil record

Based on new material from the uppermost Albian levels of Piedra Clavada Formation (Austral Basin, Argentina), the species Konijnenburgia alata (Matoniaceae) is re-examined, its diagnosis emended, and a formal lectotype from the historic type collection is here designated. A complete comparison with...

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Bibliographic Details
Authors: Passalia, Mauro Gabriel, Iglesias, Ari, Varela, Augusto Nicolás, Santamarina, Patricio Emmanuel, Poire, Daniel Gustavo, Richiano, Sebastián Miguel
Format: article
Status:Published version
Publication Date:2018
Country:Argentina
Institution:Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
Repository:CONICET Digital (CONICET)
Language:English
OAI Identifier:oai:ri.conicet.gov.ar:11336/81133
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/11336/81133
Access Level:Open access
Keyword:Argentina
Cretaceous
Fern
Konijnenburgia
Matoniaceae
Nathorstia
https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1.5
https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1
Description
Summary:Based on new material from the uppermost Albian levels of Piedra Clavada Formation (Austral Basin, Argentina), the species Konijnenburgia alata (Matoniaceae) is re-examined, its diagnosis emended, and a formal lectotype from the historic type collection is here designated. A complete comparison with extant and fossil Matoniaceae is provided, with discussions about synonymies among fossil genera. The Matoniaceae megafossil records possess a Cretaceous acme in the Albian-Cenomanian with a cosmopolitan distribution. Its conspicuous macro and microfossil record from southern Patagonia is coherent with this fact. Reports of fossil Matoniaceae decrease following the Turonian, likely related to global temperature fall and/or increase of the angiosperm abundance and diversity in the floristic assemblages.