INVESTIGADORES
VERA Ezequiel Ignacio
artículos
Título:
Alienopteris livingstonensis gen. et sp. nov., enigmatic petrified tree fern stem from the Aptian Cerro Negro Formation, Antarctica.
Autor/es:
VERA, EZEQUIEL IGNACIO
Revista:
CRETACEOUS RESEARCH (PRINT)
Referencias:
Año: 2009 vol. 30 p. 401 - 410
ISSN:
0195-6671
Resumen:
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A new genus and species
of Mesozoic fern, Alienopteris livingstonensis gen. et sp. nov., is
defined, based on permineralized stems recovered from the Aptian
Cerro Negro Formation (Antarctica). This new taxon is characterized
by the presence of Y-shaped meristeles in the stem, surrounding an
heterogeneous pith, and the presence of complex petiole bases,
consisting in abaxial and adaxial archs, similar to the ones present
in the Cyatheaceae s.l.. Since no living nor fossil filicalean fern
possesses such mixture of features, and taking into account that no
leaves and reproductive structures were found, phylogenetic
relationships are not clear. Two independent cladistic analysis show
clear placement of Alienopteris livingstonensis among the core
tree ferns.