Cethana Dam (Oligocene of Australia)

Where: Tasmania, Australia (41.5° S, 146.1° E: paleocoordinates 58.3° S, 145.6° E)

• coordinate stated in text

When: Proteacidites tuberculatus pollen zone, Early/Lower Oligocene (33.9 - 28.4 Ma)

• According to Macphail (pers. comm.) the age of the flora is between Early Eocene and uppermost Oligocene (Hill, 1984).

•Further palynological assessment suggests that the flora is likely to be in the Late Eocene to Oligocene range based on the high proportion of Nothofagus brassii-type and Phyllocladidites mawsonii pollen (Carpenter & Hill, 1988).

•The palynoflora has been assigned to the early Oligocene by Macphail et al. 1994. The presence of Cyatheacidites annulatus provides a confident Proteacidites tuberculatus Zone (Stover and Partridge 1973) maximum age, but the upper age limits are less certain owing to possible diachronism in the times of extinction of accessory species such as Beaupreadites verrucosus, Granodiporites nebulosus and Triporopollenites ambiguus. (Hill et al. 2008)

Environment/lithology: lagoonal; tabular, brown, gray, yellow siltstone and quartzose sandstone

• The fine laminated siltstone with terrestrial plant fragments indicates a low energy depositional environment such as a lake centre. The sand layers may indicate fluctuating stream inflow on the lake edges.

•The Cethana deposit had an Early Oligocene altitude of about 300 m. It formed at a time for which there is evidence of regional glacial activity (Macphail et al. 1993), in Carpenter & Jordan, 1997.

• The deposit unconformably overlies folded quartzose arenaceous (Moina Sandstone) meta-sediments. The fossiliferous rock is a creamy-yellow to light brown-grey laminated siltstone with alternations of thin sand layers. Fossils from Hill & Carpenter, 1988 were recovered from mudstone of the same locality.

Size classes: macrofossils, microfossils

Preservation: mold/impression, adpression

Collection methods: chemical, hydroflouric

Primary reference: R. S. Hill. 1984. Tertiary Nothofagus macrofossils from Cethana, Tasmania. Alcheringa 8(1):81-86 [C. Jaramillo/A. Cardenas ]more details

Purpose of describing collection: paleoecologic analysis

PaleoDB collection 166832: authorized by Carlos Jaramillo, entered by Andrés Cárdenas on 28.02.2015, edited by Carlos Jaramillo

Creative Commons license: CC BY (attribution)

Taxonomic list

unclassified
  -
Sticherus sp.1
Specimens examined. C-253, 593, 637.
? Daviesia sp.1
Specimen examined. C-464, 618.
Bryopsida
  -
Stereisporites sp.1 Pflug 1953
Lycopodiopsida
 Selaginellales - Selaginellaceae
 Lycopodiales - Lycopodiaceae
Latrobosporites crassus1 Harris 1981 clubmoss
Lycopodiumsporites sp.1 Delcourt and Sprumont 1955 clubmoss
 Lycopodiales -
Retitriletes austroclavatidites1 Döring et al. 1963 clubmoss
Equisetopsida
 Pinidae - Pinidae
Agathis "sp. 3"1 Salisbury 1807
Specimen examined. C-534.
Agathis "sp. 2"1 Salisbury 1807
Specimen examined. C-489.
Agathis "sp. 1"1 Salisbury 1807
Specimen examined. C-478.
Agathis sp.1 Salisbury 1807
Specimens examined. C-223, 441, 529.
Agathis spp.7 Salisbury 1807
In addition to leaves, cone scales also occur here.
Agathis brevigongylodes7 Hill et al. 2008
Agathis vittatus7 Hill et al. 2008
Araucaria "sp. 1"1 de Jussieu 1789
Specimens examined. C-021, 546, 632, 642, 643.
Cycadopites
  -
Cycadopites sp.1 Wodehouse 1933
Cycadopsida
 Cycadales - Zamiaceae
Pterostoma aff. anastomosans1 Hill 1980 cycads
Specimens examined. C-483.
Macrozamia australis1 cycads
Specimens examined. C-532, 651, 652.
Magnoliopsida
  -
Dicotyledoneae
 Ericales - Ericaceae
Ericipites crassiexinus1 Harris 1972 heather
Ericipites scabratus1 Harris 1965 heather
 Myrtales - Myrtaceae
Myrtaceae indet.1 de Jussieu 1789 myrtle
Specimens examined. C-023, 029, 214, 306, 324, 350, 386, 393, 624, 716, 717, 718 and several others.
 Myrtales -
Myrtaceidites parvus1 Cookson and Pike 1960
Myrtaceidites mesonesus1 Cookson and Pike 1954
Angiospermae
 Laurales - Lauraceae
Laurophyllum sp.1 Göppert 1853 laurel
Specimens examined. C-479, 628.
 Caryophyllales - Droseraceae
Droseraceae indet.1 Salisbury 1808
 Escalloniales - Escalloniaceae
 Santalales - Loranthaceae
Gothanipollis bassensis1 Stover 1973 mistletoe
 Proteales - Proteaceae
Proteaceae "incertae sedis"1, Lomatia "sp. 3"1, Lomatia fraxinifolia4, Lomatia xeromorpha n. sp.3, "Proteaciphyllum ornamentalis n. sp." = Euproteaciphyllum ornamentalis4, "Proteaciphyllum gevuininoides n. sp." = Euproteaciphyllum gevuininoides4, "Proteaciphyllum lomatioides n. sp." = Euproteaciphyllum lomatioides4, "Proteaciphyllum attenuatum n. sp." = Euproteaciphyllum attenuatum4, "Proteaciphyllum linearis n. sp." = Euproteaciphyllum linearis4, "Proteaciphyllum integrifolium n. sp." = Euproteaciphyllum integrifolium4, "Proteaciphyllum microphyllum n. sp." = Euproteaciphyllum integrifolium4, "Proteaciphyllum rugulatum n. sp." = Euproteaciphyllum rugulatum4, "Proteaciphyllum cethanicum n. sp." = Euproteaciphyllum cethanicum4, "Proteaciphyllum tridacnoides n. sp." = Euproteaciphyllum tridacnoides4, Banksieaeformis "sp. 2"1, Proteacidites spp.1, Proteacidites reticulatus1, cf. Proteacidites pseudomoides1, Telopea truncata4, Banksieaephyllum "sp. 4"1, Banksieaephyllum "sp. 3"1, Banksieaephyllum linearis n. sp.4, Banksieaephyllum orientalis n. sp.1, ? Grevillea "sp. 2"1, ? Grevillea "sp. 1"1
Proteaceae "incertae sedis"1 de Jussieu 1789
Lomatia "sp. 3"1 Brown 1810
Specimens examined. C-037
Lomatia fraxinifolia4
Specimens examined. C-495, 551, 556.
Lomatia xeromorpha n. sp.3 Carpenter and Hill 1988
"Proteaciphyllum ornamentalis n. sp." = Euproteaciphyllum ornamentalis4 Jordan et al. 1998
"Proteaciphyllum gevuininoides n. sp." = Euproteaciphyllum gevuininoides4 Jordan et al. 1998
"Proteaciphyllum lomatioides n. sp." = Euproteaciphyllum lomatioides4 Jordan et al. 1998
in Carpenter, 1991 Lomatia sp. 3
"Proteaciphyllum attenuatum n. sp." = Euproteaciphyllum attenuatum4 Jordan et al. 1998
"Proteaciphyllum linearis n. sp." = Euproteaciphyllum linearis4 Jordan et al. 1998
"Proteaciphyllum integrifolium n. sp." = Euproteaciphyllum integrifolium4 Jordan et al. 1998
"Proteaciphyllum microphyllum n. sp." = Euproteaciphyllum integrifolium4 Jordan et al. 1998
"Proteaciphyllum rugulatum n. sp." = Euproteaciphyllum rugulatum4 Jordan et al. 1998
"Proteaciphyllum cethanicum n. sp." = Euproteaciphyllum cethanicum4 Jordan et al. 1998
"Proteaciphyllum tridacnoides n. sp." = Euproteaciphyllum tridacnoides4 Jordan et al. 1998
in Carpenter, 1991 Lomatia sp. 4
Banksieaeformis "sp. 2"1 Hill and Christophel 1988
Specimens examined. C-294, 315, 711.
Proteacidites spp.1 Cookson and Couper 1953
Banksieaephyllum "sp. 4"1 Cookson and Duigan 1950
Specimens examined. C-443, 590, 630.
Banksieaephyllum "sp. 3"1 Cookson and Duigan 1950
Specimen examined. C-550.
Banksieaephyllum linearis n. sp.4 Carpenter and Jordan 1997
Banksieaephyllum orientalis n. sp.1 Carpenter and Jordan 1997
in Carpenter, 1991 Banksieaephyllum sp. 1
? Grevillea "sp. 2"1 Brown and Knight 1809
Specimen examined. C- 715.
? Grevillea "sp. 1"1 Brown and Knight 1809
Specimen examined. C- 714.
 Buxales -
Polypodiidites sp.1 Potonié 1966
 Gunnerales -
Tricolpites spp.1 Couper 1953
 Poales - Restionaceae
 Mesangiosperms - Liliaceae
Liliacidites sp.1 Couper 1953
 Fagales -
Nothofagidites spp.1 Potonié 1960
Nothofagidites emarcidus / Nothofagidites heterus
Nothofagidites asperus1 Cookson 1958
Nothofagidites flemingii1 Potonie 1960
 Fagales - Casuarinaceae
aff. Gymnostoma sp.1 Johnson 1980
Specimens examined. C-262, 502, 777, dispersed cuticle 778, 779.
 Fagales - Nothofagaceae
Nothofagus aff. alessandrii1
Specimens examined. C-457, 665
Nothofagus tasmanica1 Hill 1983
Specimen examined. C-288.
Nothofagus cethanica n. sp. Hill 1984
Nothofagus gunnii Oersted 1873
 Oxalidales - Elaeocarpaceae
aff. Elaeocarpus sp.1 Linnaeus 1753
Specimen examined. C-608.
 Oxalidales - Cunoniaceae
Callicoma serratifolia2 Andrews 1809
Schizomeria tasmaniensis n. sp.2 Carpenter and Buchanan 1993
Acsmithia grandiflora n. sp.2 Carpenter and Buchanan 1993
Weinmanniaphyllum bernardii n. gen. n. sp.2 Carpenter and Buchanan 1993
 Malvales - Sterculiaceae
aff. Brachychiton sp.1 Schott and Endlicher 1832
Specimen examined. C-648.
 Coniferales - Podocarpaceae
Dacrycarpites australiensis1 Cookson and Pike 1953 podocarp
Podocarpus "sp. 1"1 L'Heritier and Persoon 1807 podocarp
Specimen examined. C-610.
Podocarpus "sp. 2"1 L'Heritier and Persoon 1807 podocarp
Specimens examined. C-251, 274, 275, 342, 492.
Microcachryidites antarcticus1 Couper 1953 podocarp
Acmopyle glabra1 Hill and Carpenter 1991 podocarp
Specimens examined. C-222, 226.
Lygistepollenites florinii1 Stover and Evans 1973 podocarp
Dacrydium "sp. 1"1 Soland and Lambert 1807 podocarp
Specimens examined. C-202, 471.
Dacrydium "sp. 2"1 Soland and Lambert 1807 podocarp
Specimens examined. C-517, 519.
Phyllocladus "sp. 1"1 Richard and Mirbel 1825 podocarp
Specimen examined. C-305.
Phyllocladus "sp. 2"1 Richard and Mirbel 1825 podocarp
Specimen examined. C-352.
Podosporites microsaccatus1 Dettmann 1963 podocarp
Phyllocladidites mawsonii1 Cookson 1947 podocarp
Podocarpidites spp.1 Cookson 1947 podocarp
Lagarostrobos sp.1 Quinn 1982 podocarp
Specimens examined. C-340, 540, 735.
Dacrycarpus mucronatus6 Wells and Hill 1989 podocarp
in Carpenter, 1991 Dacrycarpus falcatus
 Coniferales - Cupressaceae
Papuacedrus australis n. sp.5 Hill and Carpenter 1989 cypress
Specimens examined. C-225, 234, 259, 349
Libocedrus morrisonii1 Hill and Carpenter 1989 cypress
Specimen examined. C-553.
 Bennettitales -
Ptilophyllum muelleri8 Ettingshausen 1886
Granodiporites
  -
Lycopsida
  -
Pteridopsida
  -
Cyathidites paleospora1 Alley and Broadbridge 1992
Cyathidites australis1 Couper 1953
Cyathidites minor1 Couper 1953
cf. Ischyosporites irregularis1 Sah and Jain 1965
Matonisporites ornamentalis1 Partridge 1973
 Psilotales - Ophioglossidae
Tmesipteris tasmanica1
Specimen examined. C-204.
Polypodiopsida
  - Polypodiaceae
  -
 Cyatheales - Polypodiidae
? Cyatheaceae indet.1 Kaulfuss 1827 scaly tree fern
Specimens examined. C-255, 446.
 Gleicheniales - Polypodiidae
Dictyophyllidites arcuatus1 Pocknall and Mildenhall 1984
 Schizaeales - Polypodiidae
Schizaea sp.1 Smith 1793
Specimen examined. C-071.
Lygodium sp.1 Swartz 1800 climbing fern
Specimens examined. C-232, 661.
Lygodium dinmorphyllum9 Churchill 1969 climbing fern
  - Blechnaceae
Peromonolites vellosus1 Partridge 1973
? Blechnum sp.1 Linnaeus 1753
Specimens examined. C-083, 420, 530, 531.
  - Dicksoniaceae
  - Gleicheniaceae
Gleichenia sp.1 Smith 1793
Specimens examined. C-048, 099.
Hymenophyllum
  -
aff. Hymenophyllum sp.1 Smith 1793
Specimen examined. C-635.