Aptian-Albian Cupressaceae (sensu stricto) woods from Cañadón Asfalto Basin, Patagonia Argentina

BREA, M.; BELLOSI, E.S.; UMAZANO, A.M.; KRAUSE, J.M.

CRETACEOUS RESEARCH (PRINT)

ACADEMIC PRESS LTD-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD

Lugar: Amsterdam; Año: 2016 vol. 58 p. 17 - 28

0195-6671

This paper describes the first macrofloristic record from Los Adobes Formation (Chubut Group) in Cañaadon Asfalto Basin (Patagonia, Chubut Province, Argentina). The studied fossils were recovered fromthe AptianeAlbian Bardas Coloradas Member, and consist of silicified woods preserved in fluvial channel deposits. One wood shows homocellular rays with smooth radial and tangential walls, diffuse axial parenchyma, tracheid pitting of the abietinoid type and cross-field pitting cupressoid usually ordered in rows and columns indicating placement within Cupressinoxylon hallei Kr?ausel. This fossil tree resemblessome members of the extant Cupressaceae s.s., as Austrocedrus chilensis (D. Don) Pic. Serm. & Bizzarri, Pilgerodendron uviferum (D. Don) Florin, Fitzroya cupressoide (Molina) I. M. Johnst. and Libocedrus plumosa (D. Don) Druce. Due to poor preservation the other fossil wood specimen was assigned to cf. Cupressinoxylon Gooppert 1850 nom. cons. prop. This is the first unequivocal record of C. hallei from the Cretaceous of South America and the oldest reliable record of the Callitroideae, indicating that this subfamily was well established since the mid-Cretaceous in the Southern Hemisphere.