Prydz Bay Unit II: Late/Upper Eocene, Antarctica

List of taxa
Where & when
Geology
Taphonomy & methods
Metadata & references
Taxonomic list
unclassified
Battenipollis sectilis microspore
Fischeripollis informal sp. A microspore
Equisetopsida - Araucariaceae
Dilwynites granulatus microspore Harris 1965
Araucariacites australis microspore Cookson 1947
Algae - Botryococcaceae
Botryococcus spp. microspore
Angiospermae - Gunnerales
Tricolpites confessus microspore
Tricolpites informal sp. A microspore Couper 1953
Angiospermae - Proteales - Proteaceae
Proteacidites cf. nitidus microspore
Proteacidites cf. reflexus microspore
Proteacidites informal sp. A microspore Cookson and Couper 1953
Proteacidites informal sp. B microspore Cookson and Couper 1953
Proteacidites informal sp. C microspore Cookson and Couper 1953
Beaupreaidites verrucosus microspore
Beaupreaidites elegansiformis microspore Cookson 1950
Angiospermae - Aquifoliales - Aquifoliaceae
Ilexpollenites spp. microspore
Angiospermae - Poales - Restionaceae
Milfordia hypolaenoides microspore
Milfordia homeopunctata microspore Partridge 1973
Angiospermae - Liliaceae
Liliacidites spp. microspore
Angiospermae - Arecaceae
Arecipites spp. microspore
Magnoliopsida
Tetracolporites verrucosus microspore
Rhoipites informal sp. B microspore Wodehouse 1933
Rhoipites informal sp. C microspore Wodehouse 1933
Rhoipites informal sp. D microspore Wodehouse 1933
Coniferales - Podocarpaceae
Podosporites cf. erugatus microspore
Trisaccites variabilis microspore
Podocarpidites spp. microspore
Dacrycarpites australiensis microspore Cookson and Pike 1953
Phyllocladidites reticulosaccatus microspore
Phyllocladidites mawsonii microspore Cookson 1947
Microcachryidites antarcticus microspore Couper 1953
Lygistepollenites balmei microspore Stover and Evans 1973
Lycopodiopsida - Lycopodiales
Retitriletes spp. microspore
Lycopodiopsida - Selaginellales - Selaginellaceae
Neoraistrickia cf. suratensis microspore McKellar 1974
unclassified
Coptospora archangelskyi microspore Zamaloa 2004
Bryopsida
Stereisporites australis microspore
Stereisporites stellus microspore
Stereisporites informal sp. A of Mckellar microspore Pflug 1953
Stereisporites antiquasporites microspore Dettmann 1963
Polypodiopsida - Osmundaceae
Baculatisporites comaumensis microspore Potonie 1953
Polypodiopsida - Polypodiaceae
Trichotomosulcites spp. microspore
Trichotomosulcites–Podosporites
Laevigatosporites ovatus microspore Wilson and Webster 1946
L. ovatus–major
Polypodiopsida - Gleicheniaceae
Gleicheniidites spp. microspore
Polypodiopsida - Polypodiales
Polypodiisporites spp. microspore
Polypodiopsida - Schizaeales
Ruffordiaspora australiensis microspore Dettmann and Clifford 1992
Polypodiopsida - Gleicheniales - Matoniaceae
Dictyophyllidites cf. arcuatus microspore Pocknall and Mildenhall 1984
Pteridopsida
Cyathidites minor microspore Couper 1953
C. minor-australis
Monolites cf. alveolatus microspore Couper 1969
see common names

Geography
Country:Antarctica State/province:Prydz Bay
Coordinates: 69.0° South, 75.0° East (view map)
Paleocoordinates:68.2° South, 69.6° East
Basis of coordinate:estimated from map
Time
Period:Paleogene Epoch:Eocene
Stage:Priabonian 10 m.y. bin:Cenozoic 3
Key time interval:Late/Upper Eocene Other zone: Marine dinocyst
Age range of interval:37.71000 - 33.90000 m.y. ago
Stratigraphy
Stratigraphy comments: The proposed Late Eocene age of sediments between 142.5 and 240.36 mbsf at Site 1166 is primarily based on marine dinocyst and acritarch species (see discussion in Macphail and Truswell 2004a).
Lithology and environment
Primary lithology: claystone
Lithology description: Unit II (135.63–156.62 mbsf) is composed of diatom-bearing claystones, with thin interbedded silts.
Environment:terrestrial indet.
Glacial or sequence phase:glacial
Geology comments: During the period represented by Units II and III, the East Antarctic ice sheet extended from the mountain front down to sea level and onto the continental shelf. Unit II contains dropstones or lonestones signalling the arrival of glaciers at sea level in Prydz Bay.

The sedimentary record at Site 1166 shows that the sequence spans the transition from preglacial to glacial conditions.
Taphonomy
Modes of preservation:original sporopollenin
Size of fossils:microfossils
Collection methods and comments
Collection methods:chemical,field collection
Reason for describing collection:paleoecologic analysis
Collection method comments: The material that forms the basis of the present study comes from ODP Site 1166 in Prydz Bay, drilled during Leg 188 of the Ocean Drilling Program.
Metadata
Database number:168823
Authorizer:C. Jaramillo Enterer:C. Jaramillo
Research group:micropaleontology
Created:2015-04-30 11:09:35 Last modified:2015-04-30 11:09:35
Access level:the public Released:2015-04-30 11:09:35
Creative Commons license:CC BY
Reference information

Primary reference:
55199.fossil record E. M. Truswell and M. K. Macphail. 2009. Polar forests on the edge of extinction: what does the fossil spore and pollen evidence from East Antarctica say?. Australian Systematic Botany (22)57-106 [C. Jaramillo/C. Jaramillo]