Cullen Conifers (Miocene to of Argentina)

Where: Tierra del Fuego, Argentina (53.0° S, 68.7° W: paleocoordinates 53.6° S, 62.8° W)

• coordinate estimated from map

• local area-level geographic resolution

When: Cullen Formation, Early/Lower Miocene to Early/Lower Miocene (23.0 - 11.6 Ma)

• The Cullen Formation outcrops on the NE coast of Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego and its age has been controversial for a long time; a probably early or middle Miocene age was proposed (Zamaloa, 1999).

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•Details of the geographical location of outcrops, the stratigraphic column and geological sections were published in this journal, dealing with spores of the same Formation (Zamaloa, 2004).

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•Samples were obtained from Hito I, Beta Dell and Tapera Sur Dell sections (Zamaloa, 2004)

• formation-level stratigraphic resolution

Environment/lithology: "channel"; paleosol/pedogenic, green, yellow, silty, sandy siltstone and fine-grained, medium, brown sandstone

• The statigraphical, sedimentological and taphonomical analyses indicate a paleoenvironment resulting from a system of meandering streams. The diverse and abundant spore assemblage reinforces the proposed paleoenvironment indicated by pollen assemblage and stratigraphy,consisting of humid temperate forests and local occurrences of bog, freshwater and near-shore lake communities.
• The Cullen Formation is composed of predominantly yellowish and greenish siltstone and claystone intercalated with fine to medium- grained brown sandstone. Fine-grained deposits formed in flood (alluvial) plains are prevalent in the Cullen Formation sequence. They include well-developed bioturbated paleosols showing pedogenesis. Plant remains consisting of fragments of roots, stems, leaves, and logs, are frequent. Coarser-grained sandy strata represent a channel fill facies.

Size class: microfossils

Preservation: original sporopollenin

Collection methods: chemical

• Standard palynological techniques were used to prepare the samples. Microscopic slides were mounted in glycerine jelly and stained with safranin. Slides and residues are archived in the palynological collection of the Departamento de Ecologia, Genética y Evolución, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, as BAFCB p.m.

Primary reference: M. C. Zamaloa and E. J. Romero. 2005. Neogene palynology of Tierra del Fuego, Argentina: conifers. Alcheringa (29)113-121 [C. Jaramillo/C. Jaramillo/C. Jaramillo]more details

Purpose of describing collection: paleoecologic analysis

PaleoDB collection 169382: authorized by Carlos Jaramillo, entered by Carlos Jaramillo on 22.05.2015

Creative Commons license: CC BY (attribution)

Taxonomic list

• Eleven conifer pollen taxa including one new species are recorded, as well as indeterminate gymnosperm pollen. Podocarpidites torquatus is recorded for the first time from South America.
Show authors, comments, and common names
Polypodiopsida
  - Polypodiaceae
Trichotomosulcites subgranulatus
unclassified
  -
"Gymnospermae indet." = Pinophyta
"Gymnospermae indet." = Pinophyta Reveal 1996
 Coniferales - Podocarpaceae
Dacrycarpites australiensis, Phyllocladidites mawsonii, Phyllocladidites elongatus, Podocarpidites sp., "Podocarpidites microreticuloidatus" = Podocarpidites microreticuloidata, Podocarpidites torquatus, Podocarpidites rugulosus, Lygistepollenites florinii
Dacrycarpites australiensis Cookson and Pike 1953 podocarp
Phyllocladidites mawsonii Cookson 1947 podocarp
Phyllocladidites elongatus Zamaloa and Romero 2005 podocarp
sp. nov.
Podocarpidites sp. Cookson 1947 podocarp
"Podocarpidites microreticuloidatus" = Podocarpidites microreticuloidata Cookson 1947 podocarp
Podocarpidites torquatus Mildenhall and Pocknall 1989 podocarp
Podocarpidites rugulosus Romero 1977 podocarp
Lygistepollenites florinii Stover and Evans 1973 podocarp
Equisetopsida
 Pinidae - Pinidae
Araucariacites australis