CONICET | Buscador de Institutos y Recursos Humanos

This contribution presents a comprehensive study of the unique and rich terrestrial Middle Triassic palynoflora recovered from the Quebrada de los Fósiles Formation, lower unit of the Puesto Viejo Group, San Rafael Depocenter, Mendoza Province, Argentina. The palynoflora was recorded at two sections of the unit (Quebrada de los Fósiles creek and Río Seco de la Quebrada creek), yielding diverse and well-preserved spores, pollen, freshwater algae, and fungal associations. Herein, 259 spore-pollen species are described and/or illustrated, from which eight are new: Baculatisporites magnus sp. nov., Carnisporites microspinous sp. nov., Leschikisporis variabilis sp. nov., Neoraistrickia stricta sp. nov., Limatulasporites rugulatus sp. nov., Aratrisporites circularis sp. nov., Protohaploxypinus bonapartei sp. nov. and P. diazii sp. nov. The following new combinations are proposed: Brevitriletes decorus comb. nov., B. pamelae comb. nov., B. sandrae comb. nov., Cuneatisporites cacheutensis comb. nov., C. salujhai comb. nov., and Pityosporites thoracatus comb. nov.. A new emendation for Alisporites cymbatus is instituted, and A. libyaensis nom. nov.is a new name to replace A. plicatus. These microfloras present varied parental vegetation, containing high proportions of spores from Pleuromeiales, Equisetales, Marattiales, and Corystospermales pollen. The grains of Araucariaceae, Cupressaceae, Voltziales, Cordaitales,Gnetales, and Ginkgoales/ Cycadales are recorded in smaller proportions. Zygospores of chlorophytic algae and fungi are also recorded in these assemblages. The microflora of the Quebrada de los Fósiles Formation is distinctive, quantitatively and qualitatively, from the rest of the Triassic microfloras, exhibiting the highest similarities in its composition with the associations of the La Veteada (Early Triassic, Olenekian) and Cerro de Las Cabras (Late AnisianEarly Ladinian) formations

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