Current state of genus Mendendoxylon

MOYA, E.; BREA, M.

virtual

Otro; 1º Reunión Virtual de Comunicaciones de la Asociación Paleontológica Argentina; 2020

Asociación Paleontológica Argentina

in 1979, Alicia Lutz (AL) described the genus Menendoxylonwith three species: M. vasallensis, M. areniensis and M. mesopotamiensis which were recovered in the Miocene?Pleistocene from north-eastern Argentina. Later, she erected M. piptadiensis, from the Pliocene of north-west Argentina. All taxa were closely related to the Piptadenia Group (Fabaceae). We re-study all the specimensstudied by AL and some of them were re-described and re-assigned to other families. Also, the generic and specific diagnoses of Menendoxylon were emended. now, Menendoxylon conserves affinity with the Fabaceae and is defined by three fossil species: M. vasallensis (type species, CTES-PB 2927, isotype CTES-PB 4824/2; ituzaingó Formation), M. areniensis (CTES-PB 2932/3;ituzaingó Formation), and M. mesopotamiensis (CTES-PB 4829/2; El Palmar Formation). The CTES-PB 6141 originally referred to M. piptadiensis from Andalhuala Formation was transferred to Apocynaceae and a new combination was erected, Parahancornioxylon piptadiensis. This is the first fossil wood from South America with an affinity to Apocynaceae. Two specimens of M. areniensis (CTES-PB 2932/1 and 2932/2; ituzaingó Formation) were reassigned to Combretaceae, as Mangroveoxylon areniensis, a fossil wood that indicates a first coastal marine environment with anatomical characteristics of pseudo-mangrove or peripheral species. All fossil specimens and microscope slides are housed in the Colección Paleontológica de la unnE ?Dr. Rafael Herbst?, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y naturales y Agrimensura, universidad nacional del nordeste, Corrientes.