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Late Triassic plant microfossils from Miers Bluff Formation of Livingston Island, South Shetland Islands, Antarctica

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 May 2004

Ouyang Shu ,
Deng Xi-Guang ,
Shen Yan-Bin ,
Zheng Xiang-Shen  and
Liu Xiao-Han
Ouyang Shu
Affiliation:
Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China
Deng Xi-Guang
Affiliation:
Beijing Institute of Geology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100029, China
Shen Yan-Bin
Affiliation:
Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China
Zheng Xiang-Shen
Affiliation:
Beijing Institute of Geology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100029, China
Liu Xiao-Han
Affiliation:
Beijing Institute of Geology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100029, China
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Abstract

A moderately diverse assemblage of plant microfossils has been recovered from the Johnsons Dock Member of the Miers Bluff Formation, Livingston Island, including spores, pollen, acritarchs, wood fragments and cuticles. Containing a total of c. 45 of miospore taxa, the palynoflora is dominated by non-striate bisaccate pollen, but spores of pteridophytes and pollen of gymnosperms are proportionate in diversity. The palynoflora is similar in composition to those indicative of subzones C + D of the Alisporites Zone of Antarctica, and the upper Craterisporites rotundus Zone and the lower Polycingulatisporites crenulatus Zone of Australia as well as the upper Polycingulatisporites crenulatus Zone and Foveosporites moretonensis Zone of New Zealand, suggesting a Late Triassic (possibly Norian–Rhaetian) age. This determination is supported by the sporadic occurrence of Aratrisporites and Classopollis in the palynoflora as well as by the absence of striate bisaccate grains.

Keywords

Livingston IslandMiers Bluff Formationpalynoflorasplant microfossilsLate Triassic
Type
Paper—Earth Sciences and Glaciology
Information
Antarctic Science , Volume 12 , Issue 2 , June 2000 , pp. 217 - 228
Copyright
© Antarctic Science Ltd 2000

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