A proposed new global stratotype for Aeronian Stage of the Silurian System: Hlásná Třebaň section,Czech Republic

The current Global Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP ) for the Aeronian Stage (Llandovery Series, Silurian System), on Trefawr track in the Llandovery area of Wales, is an inadequate marker for precise, global, correlation. The International Subcommission on Silurian Stratigraphy has, therefore, undertaken the selection of a new GSSP for this level. The lowest occurrence of the graptolite Demirastrites triangulatus , 1.38 m above the base of the black‐shale succession of the ?elkovice Formation at the Hlásná T?ebaň section in Central Bohemia, is proposed to mark the base of the Aeronian Stage. The section, which fulfils all formal requirements for stratotype of a chronostratigraphical unit, should be considered as a candidate for the new GSSP . An abundant, well‐preserved, diverse graptolite fauna occurs through the section along with common chitinozoans, which indicate that the Spinachitina maennili Biozone spans the boundary interval. The section comprises the lower–middle Aeronian (D. triangulatus–Lituigraptus convolutus graptolite biozones) along with underlying Rhuddanian (Akidograptus ascensus–Coronograptus cyphus biozones) and Hirnantian strata. Several graptolite genera of primary importance in global correlation (Demirastrites , Petalolithus , Rastrites and Campograptus ) first appear in the lower part of the triangulatus Biozone. The structurally simple section is somewhat condensed, but there is a uniform succession of black shale without any evidence of disconformity in the broad boundary interval. The C_org isotope record exhibits a minor positive excursion just above the base of the triangulatus Biozone, whereas TOC and N isotope and elemental geochemical records provide evidence for uninterrupted sedimentation under stable, anoxic conditions.     

A high-precision global biostratigraphy of myodocope ostracods for the Silurian upper Wenlock Series and Ludlow Series

The wide, trans-oceanic geographical distribution of myodocope ostracods during the Silurian (especially during the Ludlow and Pridoli epochs), and their widespread preservation in rocks of that age, permits the establishment of a transcontinental biostratigraphy of comparable resolution to coeval graptolite/chitinozoan/conodont biozones. Seven myodocope biozones, extending from the Homerian Stage, upper Wenlock Series Cyrtograptus lundgreni graptolite biozone to the middle part of the Ludfordian Stage of the Ludlow Series, enable a time-resolution for each biozone of circa 1 million years. These biozones can provide high-resolution correlation across Europe into Arctic Russia and Central Asia. There is also the potential for a myodocope biostratigraphy applicable from the uppermost Silurian (Pridoli) to the Carboniferous.     

Proposal for adoption of the base of the Undulograptus austrodentatus Biozone as a global Ordovician stage and series boundary level

The base of the Undulograptus austrodentatus Biozone appears to be a synchronous event that is widely recognizable within graptolitic facies around the world. It occurs within an interval in which graptolite species ranges are now well known and in which there is a rapid turnover in the composition of graptolite faunas. This turnover reflects the rapid evolutionary radiation of the Diplograptacea simultaneously with the appearance of several distinctive pseudisograptid and glossograptid species. These events provide the basis for the recognition of two thin but widely applicable subzones; a lower Arienigraptus zhejiangensis Subzone and an upper U. sinicus Subzone. The occurrence of the lower boundary of the U. austrodentatus Biozone within a succession of first appearances also permits accurate and reliable identification of the boundary as well as assessment of stratigraphic completeness across the boundary interval in correlated sections. Diverse graptolite faunas of late Yapeenian and early Darriwilian age occur in association with the Histiodella altifrons Biozone of the North American midcontinent conodont zonation and the Paroistodus originalis and Microzarkodina parva biozones of the North Atlantic conodont zonation. They also occur in association with the shelly-fossil zonations developed for several different continents. These features of the base of the U. austrodentatus Biozone make it a suitable level for use as the boundary level for a global stage. Its stratigraphic position within the Ordovician System relative to other likely global stages as well as its coincidence with one of the major events in graptolite evolutionary history suggest that this level also may be a suitable level for the base of a global Middle Ordovician Series.Ordovician System, Ordovician stages, graptolite zonation, chronostratigraphy, international correlation. Charles E. Mitchell and Jörg Maletz, Department of Geology, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York 14260-1550, USA; 13th July, 1994; revised 22nd May, 1995.     

Phylogenetic analysis ofUlmaceae

A phylogenetic analysis of theUlmaceae, Cannabaceae, Barbeyaceae, andBroussonetia of theMoraceae produced nine equally parsimonious trees with 127 steps. TheUlmoideae (Ulmaceae, sensuGrudzinskaya) are a monophyletic group and distinct from theCeltidoideae. The genusAmpelocera occupies an isolated taxonomic position among the celtidoids. The similarity ofAmpelocera to the fossil celtidoid flowerEoceltis of North America suggests thatAmpelocera posesses an archaic suite of characters, and occupies a primitive position among the celtidoids, theCannabaceae and theMoraceae. The relationships among the other celtidoid taxa,Cannabaceae, andBroussonetia are problematic. TheCannabaceae andBroussonetia of theMoraceae are nested within the celtidoids suggesting that this is a paraphyletic group. The close, but unresolved, relationship of the celtidoids to theMoraceae andCannabaceae observed in this analysis, and the appearance of the celtidoids in the fossil record prior to the ulmoids suggests that the evolutionary relationship of the ulmoids and celtidoids may be more distant than current taxonomic treatments reflect.     

Phylogeny of the tribe Antirrhineae (Scrophulariaceae) based on morphological andndhF sequence data

Phylogenetic relationships within the tribe Antirrhineae (Scrophulariaceae) are analysed and discussed on the basis of parsimony analyses of morphological andndhF gene sequence data. The results indicate that the tribe Antirrhineae consists of four major groups of genera, theAnarrhinum clade, theGambelia clade, theMaurandya clade, and theAntirrhinum clade. TheAnarrhinum clade, consisting of the Old World bee-pollinated generaAnarrhinum andKickxia, is sister to the rest of the tribe. TheGambelia clade consists of the New World generaGambelia andGalvezia, which are very closely related and pollinated by hummingbirds. TheMaurandya clade consists of one subclade includingMaurandya and a number of related bee- or hummingbird-pollinated New World genera and another subclade with the Old World bee-pollinated generaAsarina andCymbalaria. TheAntirrhinum clade consists mainly of bee-pollinated Old World genera, such asAntirrhinum, Linaria, Chaenorhinum, and their segregates, but also includes the New World generaMohavea andHowelliella, of which the latter is known to be partly pollinated by hummingbirds. It is concluded that hummingbirdpollination has evolved independently within Antirrhineae at least three times from bee-pollinated ancestors.     

Tremadocian (Ordovician) biostratigraphy and graptolites at Dayangcha (Baishan,Jilin, NE China)

Based on a systematic study of Tremadocian graptolites from the Early Ordovician Yehli Formation at Dayangcha, Baishan of Jilin, NE China, a revised graptolite zonation is proposed for the Tremadocian rocks in the area. In ascending order, the graptolite zones include theRhabdinopora flabelliformis parabola Zone, theAnisograptus matanensis Zone, thePsigraptus jacksoni Zone and theAorograptus victoriae Zone. The first three zones are discussed with their definitions and durations clarified, whereas the last zone is introduced for the first time as a replacement of the formerAdelograptus-Clonograptus Zone. The entire Yehli Formation is considered to be older than the late Tremadocian Hunneberg Substage of Scandinavia, the latter being represented by the carbonate-dominated basal part of the overlying Liangchiashan Formation where no graptolites have so far been discovered. The Tremadocian succession in the Dayangcha area is regarded as being representative of the North China (Sino-Korea) Palaeoplate, and a correlation of the Tremadocian graptolite sequence with those of other continents is suggested. Nine species belonging toDendrograptus, Aspidograptus, Callograptus andAirograptus of the family Dendroidae, and eight species ofPsigraptus, Adelograptus, Aorograptus andKiaerograptus of the family Anisograptidae are described and some are revised in the present paper. Among the important revisions are the reconstructed proximal development ofPsigraptus jacksoni based on partially three-dimensional specimens from the area, and the complex thecal structures ofAspidograptus.      

The Lerhamn drill core and its bearing for the graptolite biostratigraphy of the Ordovician Tøyen Shale in Scania,southern Sweden

Maletz, J. & Ahlberg, P. 2011: The Lerhamn drill core and its bearing for the graptolite biostratigraphy of the Ordovician Tøyen Shale in Scania, southern Sweden. Lethaia, Vol. 44, pp. 350–368. A drill core through the Lower Ordovician Tøyen Shale Formation at Lerhamn, NW Scania, southern Sweden, provides important new information for the precise biostratigraphic resolution of the Floian to lower Darriwilian time interval in southern Scandinavia. The Hunnegraptus copiosus, Tetragraptus phyllograptoides, Cymatograptus protobalticus (new), Baltograptus vacillans (new), Baltograptus sp. cf. Baltograptus deflexus (new), Baltograptus minutus (new), Isograptus victoriae, Undulograptus austrodentatus (Arienigraptus zhejiangensis and Undulograptus sinicus Subzones) and the (?)Corymbograptus retroflexus (new) biozones are differentiated in the core and their correlation in Scania is discussed. The Lerhamn drill core provides the most detailed graptolite record of the Floian Stage in Scandinavia. The interval is dominated by a number of species of the genus Baltograptus, endemic to the Atlantic Faunal realm and highly useful for regional biostratigraphic correlation. The biostratigraphic framework is based on endemic and pandemic faunal elements. The mixture of both elements in the drill core allows a more precise inter‐continental correlation of Lower to Middle Ordovician graptolite faunas and may – in the future – provide information as to the climatic history of regions dominated by Baltograptus faunas in the Floian. The (?)C. retroflexus Biozone is based on species originally described from Bohemia, but the record of the zone in the Lerhamn drill core indicates a wider distribution of its fauna. □Biostratigraphy, graptolites, Ordovician, Scania, Sweden.     

Comparative ultrastructure of pyrenoids inTrebouxia (Microthamniales,Chlorophyta)

Pyrenoid ultrastructure has been investigated from cultures of all 26 species ofTrebouxia with the aim of establishing pyrenoids as a taxonomic character. Different arrangements and forms of thylakoid lamellae within the pyrenoid matrix allow eight pyrenoid types to be distinguished. Each type is characteristic of a group of species. Thegigantea- andimpressa-type are similar, differing only in the form of the tubules: short, branched tubules mark thegigantea-type; ± long and straight invaginations theimpressa-type. Thearboricola-type is characterized by meandering pyrenoid membranes developing from lamellae parallel with each other in young autospores. Pyrenoids of thegelatinosa-type are traversed by thin parallel-arranged tubules. Few thylakoids with a curved profile are typical of theirregularis-type. Thecorticola-type is different from all others in having a distinct starch sheath closely connected with the pyrenoid matrix and no pyrenoglobuli being associated with the pyrenoid membranes. No true pyrenoids have been found inT. magna andT. erici. Within the chloroplast, they have indistinct areas with pyrenoglobuli, but without differentiated thylakoids. Pyrenoid morphology is stable in culture on different media as well as in phycobionts within lichen thalli. Comparing the pyrenoid of a lichenizedTrebouxia with that from cultured species, the identification of the phycobiont within the lichen thallus is possible, without the need of culturing the algae. This has been shown in species ofParmelia andHypogymnia. New aspects for the taxonomy and systematics ofTrebouxia are discussed.Dedicated to Prof. DrLothar Geitler on the occasion of the 90th anniversary of his birthday.     

The earliest known strophomenoids (Brachiopoda) from early Middle Ordovician rocks Of South China

The upper Daguanshan Formation (middle Expansograptus hirundo graptolite biozone, Dapingian, early Middle Ordovician) of the Shuanghe area, Changning County, southern Sichuan Province, contains three new genera and species of strophomenoids: Ochyromena plana, Shuangheella elongata, and Primotimena globula, which are attributed to the Strophomenidae, Rafinesquinidae and Glyptomenidae respectively. These are the earliest known strophomenoids from the South China palaeoplate, and also the oldest rafinesquinid and glyptomenid brachiopods worldwide. Global review of the superfamily Strophomenoidea of Middle Ordovician age suggests that the first diversity peak at the species level occurred in late Darriwilian (Llanvirn) time, mainly as a result of the rapid diversification of the family Strophomenidae. The first appearance datum (FAD) of strophomenoids and their possible westward dispersal were from North China (latest Floian) and/or South China (early Dapingian), through the Chu‐Ili terrane of Kazakhstan, Iran, and Baltica (early Darriwilian), to Avalonia and Laurentia (late Darriwilian). This points to the existence of early diversification hotspots of the strophomenoid superfamily in the North and South China palaeoplates during the early Middle Ordovician in generally shallow water (corresponding to BA2) environments. The high degree of similarity in the external morphology and ventral interior of the three new genera indicates that the early diversification of strophomenoids began with differentiation of the cardinalia, especially in the configuration of the bilobed cardinal process, a key evolutionary novelty for the strophomenoids.     

The identity ofDidymograptus (Expansograptus) suecicus (Tullberg) and related species (Graptoloidea,Dichograptidae)

The horizontal didymograptid speciesDidymograptus (Expansograptus) suecicus Tullberg,D. (E.) holmi Törnquist andD. (E.) similis (J. Hall) are redescribed using the type material and additional specimens. Their exact proximal structures are revealed for the first time from relief material. All three species can easily be differentiated taxonomically and also show differences in their biostratigrapnic distribution.     

Therps16 intron and the phylogeny of theRubioideae (Rubiaceae)

The phylogeny of the subfamilyRubioideae (Rubiaceae) was estimated from sequence variation in therps16 intron (cpDNA) in 143 ingroup and 5 outgroup taxa. The analysis largely confirms a recent one based onrbcL sequences, but branch support is often much stronger. Three of the traditional subfamilies are supported,Rubioideae, Cinchonoideae s. str., andIxoroideae s. l. while there is no support forAntirheoideae. TheRubioideae are the sister group of all otherRubiaceae and comprise the tribesAnthospermeae, Coccocypseleae, Cruckshanksieae, Coussareeae, Gaertnereae, Hedyotideae, Knoxieae, Morindeae, Ophiorrhizeae, Paederieae, Pauridiantheae, Perameae, Psychotrieae, Rubieae, Spermacoceae, Theligoneae, andUrophylleae. TheHamelieae andHillieae belong to theCinchonoideae. Rachicallis andSiemensia should be transferred from theHedyotideae to theCinchonoideae. ThePauridiantheae, Urophylleae, Ophiorrhizeae, andRaritebe form the basalmost subclade of theRubioideae. The second basalmost clade consists of the generaLasianthus andPerama. The third basalmost clade consists of the tribesCoussareeae, Coccocypseleae andCruckshanksieae, and the generaDeclieuxia andHindsia. The tribesKnoxieae, Anthospermeae, Argostemmateae, Paederieae, Theligoneae, Rubieae, Hedyotideae, andSpermacoceae are members of one clade. TheKnoxieae are monophyletic ifOtiophora, Otomeria, andPentas are included. The tribeAnthospermeae is supported as monophyletic, but its subtribes are not. ThePaederieae, together withTheligonum, form a paraphyletic grade basal to theRubieae. TheHedyotideae, includingSchismatoclada, form a grade at the base of theSpermacoceae. TheGaertnereae are monophyletic and distinct from thePsychotrieae. TheMorindeae are monophyletic and includeDamnacanthus andMitchella. Schradera is the sister group of theMorindeae. ThePsychotrieae are monophyletic when theGaertnereae, Lasianthus, andDeclieuxia are excluded. The recognition of a subtribeHydnophytineae leaves the rest of thePsychotrieae paraphyletic.Psychotria is paraphyletic with respect to all other genera of the tribe. Approximately 50 genera are here classified for the first time based on molecular data.     

Further report on object manipulation in non-human primates: A comparison within 13 species of the genusMacaca

Thirteen captive species of the genusMacaca were presented with certain non-edible objects and the subsequent manipulation was observed. The following results were obtained: (1) Thefascicularis group species displayed a great variety in rolling the manipulandum, which has been reported to be one of the actions characterizing cercopithecine species; (2) manipulating the object with one finger was typical of thesilenus-sylvanus andsinica groups, whereas use of the fingers moving opposably was common to all species ofMacaca; (3) secondary manipulations in relation to the wire-mesh were observed only inM. silenus, M. sinica, andM. nemestrina, whereas those in relation to water were common to allMacaca species; and (4) within-subgroup differences were great in thesilenus-sylvanus andsinica groups as compared to thefascicularis group.     

Chromosome numbers and rust susceptibility as taxonomic criteria inRosaceae

BothNeuradoideae andChrysobalanoideae seem rust-free. TheSpiraeoideae andPomoideae are heavily susceptible toGymnosporangium rusts. While thePrunoideae resemble theRosoideae in being vulnerable to attacks ofPuccinia species, they are additionally susceptible toTranzschelia andThekopsora, whereas theRosoideae are characteristically afflicted byPhragmidium.—It is suggested (a) to treat theChrysobalanoideae as a separate family (Chrysobalanaceae), (b) to transferDryas from theRosoideae-Potentilleae-Dryadinae to theRosoideae-Cercocarpeae, and (c) to divide theRosoideae into two main groups of tribes: (i) the rust-freeKerrieae andCercocarpeae with x = 9, and (ii) the rust-susceptiblePotentilleae, Ulmarieae, Roseae andSanguisorbeae with x = 7.     

Effect of aPMR1 disruption on the processing of heterologous glycoproteins secreted in the yeastSaccharomyces cerevisiae

TheSaccharomyces cerevisiae PMR1 gene encodes a Ca²⁺-ATPase localized in the Golgi. We have investigated the effects ofPMR1 disruption inS. cerevisiae on the glycosylation and secretion of three heterologous glycoproteins, human α₁-antitrypsin (α₁-AT), human antithrombin III (ATHIII), andAspergillus niger glucose oxidase (GOD). Thepmr1 null mutant strain secreted larger amounts of ATHIII and GOD proteins per a unit cell mass than the wild type strain. Despite a lower growth rate of thepmr1 mutant, two-fold higher level of human ATHIII was detected in the culture supernatant from thepmr1 mutant compared to that of the wild-type strain. Thepmr1 mutant strain secreted α₁-AT and the GOD proteins mostly as core-glycosylated forms, in contrast to the hyperglycosylated proteins secreted in the wild-type strain. Furthermore, the core-glycosylated forms secreted in thepmr1 mutant migrated slightly faster on SDS-PAGE than those secreted in themnn9 deletion mutant and the wild type strains. Analysis of the recombinant GOD with anti-α1,3-mannose antibody revealed that GOD secreted in thepmr1 mutant did not have terminal α1,3-linked mannoses unlike those secreted in themnn9 mutant and the wild type strains. The present results indicate that thepmr1 mutant, with the super-secretion phenotype, is useful as a host system to produce recombinant glycoproteins lacking high-mannose outer chains.     

Facies of a Lower Ordovician carbonate shelf (Mungok Formation: Taebaeksan Basin,Korea)

Summary The lithologic associations within the Lower Ordovician Mungok Formation in Korea define four depositional facies that formed across a continental margin fringing the Sino-Korean block: these facies represent lagoonal/restricted marine, shoal, inner shelf, and outer shelf environments. The stacking pattern of these facies reveals two systems tracts composed of five depositional sequences. The lower highstand systems tract consists of the lagoonal/restricted marine and shoal facies, whereas the upper lowstand systems tract comprises, in ascending order, inner shelf, outer shelf, and inner shelf facies. Three trilobite biofacies are recognized in the Mungok Formation: i.e.,Yosimuraspis, Kainella, andShumardia biofacies in ascending order. TheYosimuraspis Biofacies is dominated byYosimuraspis but also containsJujuyaspis andElkanaspis. The predominance of the endemic eponymous taxon suggests a lagoonal/restricted marine environment. The nearly monotaxicKainella Biofacies, which comprises pandemic genera such asKainella and occasionallyLeiostegium, may represent a less restricted environment than theYosimuraspis Biofacies. TheShumardia Biofacies occurs in the marlstone/shale lithofacies through relatively thick stratigraphic interval and is dominated by cosmopolitan trilobite taxa with some endemic species. The lithofacies and cosmopolitan trilobite assemblage of theShumardia Biofacies indicate that it occupied an outer shelf environment. The vertical succession of lithofacies and trilobite biofacies in the Mungok Formation records in general a shift from a restricted, shallow water environment to deeper-water environment.     

Paleobotanical evidence on the early radiation of nonmagnoliid dicotyledons

Paleobotanical studies indicate that several isolated and systematically depauperate groups of extant woody dicotyledons originated in the Mid Cretaceous. TheChloranthaceae had probably differentiated into insect-pollinated (Chloranthus andSarcandra) and wind-pollinated (Ascarina andHedyosmum) forms by the end of the Albian, and leaves referable to theTrochodendrales are known from the Albian and Cenomanian. In the latest Cretaceous and Early Tertiary, extinct representatives of theTrochodendrales includedNordenskioldia and theJoffrea-Nyssidium complex. ThePlatanaceae also differentiated before the end of the Albian and initially had insect-pollinated, unisexual flowers with five carpels or stamens. Some of these features persisted in the platanoid lineage until the Early Tertiary, and during the Paleocene and Eocene thePlatanaceae included forms with elliptical, palmate and pinnate foliage. The history of thePlatanaceae suggests that several features of the reproductive morphology of extant taxa may have arisen in association with a trend toward wind pollination. In the Mid Cretaceous, platanoid foliage partially intergrades with pinnateSapindopsis and pedateDebeya-Dewalquea leaves suggesting a close relationship betweenPlatanaceae andRosidae andFagaceae respectively. TheChloranthaceae, Trochodendrales, andPlatanaceae all occupy a somewhat intermediate position between theMagnoliidae andHamamelidae and are of considerable interest with respect to their role in the initial radiation of nonmagnoliid (higher) dicotyledons.     

Investigations into the evolutionary history of theAntennaria rosea (Asteraceae: Inuleae) polyploid complex

TheAntennaria rosea polyploid agamic complex is one of the most morphologically diverse and widespread complexes of N. AmericanAntennaria. The group is taxonomically confusing because of numerous agamospermous microspecies, having been recognized as distinct species. Morphometric analyses have demonstrated that the primary source of morphological variability in the complex derives from six sexually reproducing progenitors,A. aromatica, A. corymbosa, A. media, A. microphylla, A. racemona, andA. umbrinella. Additionally, two other sexually reproducing species,A. marginata andA. rosulata, may have contributed to the genetic complexity of theA. rosea complex. Cluster analysis indicates that four discrete morphological groups exist within theA. rosea complex. Each group could be the result of predominance of genes from different groups of sexual progenitors. AsA. rosea is of multiple hybrid origin, from among several sexual progenitors, it is advisable to recognizeA. rosea as a distinct species from its sexual progenitors.Investigations into the evolutionary history of the polyploid complexes inAntennaria (Asteraceae: Inuleae). 3. TheA. rosea complex.     

Quantitative antibiotic sensitivity pattern ofAcinetobacter strains

Seventy-eightAcinetobacter strains (37A. lwoffii, 22A. haemolysans and 19A. anitratus) were tested for antibiotic sensitivity with the plate incorporation method. TheA. anitratus strains were distinctly less sensitive to penicillin, chloramphenicol, oxytetracyclin and nitrofurantoin than theA. lwoffii andA. haemolysans strains. Sensitivity patterns to streptomycin and erythromycin were similar for the three species.     

The Hunneberg Stage (Ordovician) in the area east of St. Petersburg, north-western Russia

The bio- and lithostratigraphy of the poorly known early Ordovician (Arenig) Hunneberg Stage is described from the area east of St. Petersburg (Putilovo Quarry and Lava river), where the Lakity Beds (Leetse Fm.) consist of glauconitic sands and silty clays. The described fauna includes graptolites, conodonts, brachiopods, acritarchs, foraminifers, and several problematic groups. The Lakity Beds are unique within the lower Ordovician sequence of the East Baltic in the abundance of graptolites, co-occurring with conodonts. The conodonts from the lower part of the Lakity Beds belong to the uppermost subzone (Oelandodus elongatus — Acodus deltatus deltatus) of theParoistodus proteus Zone, coinciding with the lower part of theTetragraptus phyllograptoides Zone. This suggests that there is a hiatus between the Lakity Beds and the underlying Nazya Formation. The lower Lakity Beds also contain the brachiopodsLeptembolon lingulaeformis andEosiphonotreta cf.acrotretomorpha, which suggest that they may be correlated with the Joa Member of the Leetse Formation in North Estonia. In the upper part of the Lakity Beds, conodonts of thePrioniodus elegans Zone co-occur with graptolites indicating the upper subzone of theTetragraptus phyllograptoides Zone in the Scandinavian sections. There are still problems of defining and correlating the base of the Billingen Regional Stage, which are outside the scope of this paper.     

Magnoliid reproductive organs from the Cenomanian-Turonian of north-western Kazakhstan:Magnoliaceae andIlliciaceae

Cenomanian-Turonian sediments from the Sarbay locality in north-western Kazakhstan have yielded a rich assemblage of plant fossils including well preserved flowers, fruits, and seeds of angiosperms. This work describes fossil seeds assigned to theMagnoliaceae and theIlliciaceae. Three new species of the extinct magnoliaceous genusLiriodendroidea, L. asiatica, L. costata, andL. tenuitesta, are established and new information on the previously described species,L. alata, is provided. TheLiriodendroidea seeds are closely similar to seeds of extantLiriodendron, but are distinguished in being much smaller and winged. A new genus and species,Illiciospermum pusillum, is established based on seeds with close similarity to those of the extant genusIllicium. The seeds are small, anatropous and exotestal with outer epidermis of testa forming a palisade layer. The facets of the palisade cells have deeply undulate anticlinal walls. The micropyle area is seen on the outer integument as a transverse slit placed on a raised strophiole-like structure close to the hilum. TheIlliciospermum seeds represent the first unequivocal record of theIlliciaceae in the Cretaceous. Another seed of possible illiciaceous affinity is described as aff.Illiciospermum sp.