Erik Isasmendi , Elena Cuesta , Adrián Páramo , Xabier Pereda-Suberbiola
{"title":"A giant spinosaurid from the Iberian Peninsula and new data on the Early Cretaceous Iberian non-avian theropod palaeodiversity","authors":"Erik Isasmendi , Elena Cuesta , Adrián Páramo , Xabier Pereda-Suberbiola","doi":"10.1016/j.cretres.2025.106134","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cretres.2025.106134","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Despite some exceptional cases, the Lower Cretaceous theropod record from Iberia mainly comprises isolated teeth and fragmentary skeletons. In the Cameros Basin, theropods have been mostly documented in the Eastern Cameros sub-basin with baryonychine spinosaurids dominating this sector. Instead, theropods are rarer in the Western Cameros sub-basin. Here, we describe material from the Western Cameros sub-basin, recovered in the upper Hauterivian–lower Barremian Golmayo Formation of Soria (Los Caños and Zorralbo I sites), which allowed us to identify three early-branching tetanuran and three baryonychine dental morphotypes, and a large-sized spinosaurid from Zorralbo I. The latter is represented by cranial, axial, and appendicular bones, and identified as a large-sized baryonychine based on anatomical and phylogenetic studies. Our results demonstrate that the theropod assemblages are consistent within the entire Cameros Basin, exhibiting a dominance of baryonychines. Western Cameros theropods are not only limited to Baryonychinae but they would also coexist with other early-branching tetanurans and coelurosaurians. The Lower Cretaceous Iberian record is represented by taxa from all major clades within Theropoda (i.e., Tetanurae, Allosauroidea, Carcharodontosauria, Coelurosauria, Ornithomimosauria, Paraves and Dromaeosauridae), being Spinosauridae the most prevalent group, with five described genera and species and a large number of tooth morphotypes. Indeed, three spinosaurine and ten baryonychine tooth morphotypes have been identified in the Iberian record so far. This study demonstrates that the entire Cameros Basin has a great representation of the theropod record of the Iberian Peninsula, and it underscores the potential of this basin to understand the Iberian palaeobiodiversity, especially in spinosaurids.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55207,"journal":{"name":"Cretaceous Research","volume":"173 ","pages":"Article 106134"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-03-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143808371","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Javier Gil-Gil, José Francisco García-Hidalgo, Carme Boix
{"title":"The Coniacian sequence in the western Iberian Ranges (Spain): Stratigraphic architecture, systems tracts, biostratigraphy and high-frequency cyclicity","authors":"Javier Gil-Gil, José Francisco García-Hidalgo, Carme Boix","doi":"10.1016/j.cretres.2025.106121","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cretres.2025.106121","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The Coniacian 3rd-order sequence comprises nine 4th-order parasequences (PsCo1–PsCo9). PsCo1 and PsCo2 are considered a Shelf Margin Wedge as in a Lowstand Systems Tract (LST). Parasequences PsCo3 to the lower part of PsCo6 show an aggradational and retrogradational geometry with onlap on the basal boundary, representing the Transgressive Systems Tract (TST). The upper part of PsCo6 to PsCo9 represents the Highstand Systems Tract (HST) with a Highstand Normal Regression (HNR), upper part of PsCo6 and PsCo7. PsCo8 and PsCo9 show a significative retrogradation of the outer ramp facies and a Forced Regressive Systems Tract (FRST) with progradation of siliciclastic facies from emerged massif on the carbonate facies. The rapid northwards progradation during HST originates a change from a homoclinal ramp to a distally-steepened one. The Coniacian–basal Santonian age is based on the presence of <em>Forresteria</em> (<em>Harleites</em>) <em>petrocoriensis</em> (base of PsCo1) and of <em>Cladoceramus undulatoplicatus</em> (top of PsCo9). <em>Metatissotia ewaldi</em>, <em>Tissotioides hispanicus</em>, <em>Gauthiericeras margae</em> and <em>Prionocycloceras iberiense</em> zones characterize the middle Coniacian. Finally, the late Coniacian is characterised by the <em>Protexanites burgeoisi</em> and <em>Hemitissotia</em> spp. zones. The parasequences are considered to have originated from long eccentricity cycles (0.405 Myr) of Milankovitch's band. Correlation and the reconstruction of the depositional architecture allow quantifying the sedimentary processes and trends, systems tracts, and temporal amplitude of hiatuses. The sequence at the northern outcrops spans 3.65 Myr, and only 0.81 Myr at the southern ones, with most time contained in the hiatuses of the basal (2.43 Myr) and upper (0.405 Myr) sequence boundaries.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55207,"journal":{"name":"Cretaceous Research","volume":"172 ","pages":"Article 106121"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-03-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143759291","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Diethard Sanders , Rosemarie Baron-Szabo , Holger Gebhardt , Felix Schlagintweit , Michael Wagreich
{"title":"An Upper Cretaceous mesophotic coral reef (Gosau Group, Eastern Alps, Austria): Significance for the palaeoreef record","authors":"Diethard Sanders , Rosemarie Baron-Szabo , Holger Gebhardt , Felix Schlagintweit , Michael Wagreich","doi":"10.1016/j.cretres.2025.106123","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cretres.2025.106123","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Cretaceous reefs that record coral growth under mesophotic conditions apparently are very rare. Hereunder we present a middle-upper Coniacian to lower Santonian reef composed mainly of coral platestone that is located within the synorogenic wedge-top succession of the Eastern Alps (Gosau Group, Turonian to Ypresian) near Strobl am Wolfgangsee (Salzburg, Austria).</div><div>In the studied reef, an exposed 15–18 m of coral platestone is overlain by a few meters of domestone-mixstone and bioclastic limestones. The platestones display a dense, continuous, interlocked fabric with a matrix of wackestone with planktic foraminifera and calcareous nannoplankton. Bioencrustation of coralla and boring traces are scarce. Hippuritids and radiolitids settled on the corals, but only few developed into adults. The dome/mixstones comprise massive and branched corals, show a packed fabric, and contain intercalated singles and clusters of rudists. In the reefal interval, one helioporid octocoral and 25 colonial scleractinian species (25 % pennular species) were identified. The top bioclastic limestones contain dasycladaleans, Miliolina, Textulariina and rare Rotaliina.</div><div>The vertical succession from coral platestones to bioclastic limestones indicates shoaling. The platy-foliaceous shapes and packing of coralla in the platestones, and the scarce encrustation suggest constratal to low-superstratal growth under mesophotic conditions. In the dome/mixstones, toppled corals and rudists indicate episodic disturbance. In Jurassic seas mesophotic reefs were widespread, yet the studied reef is the first Upper Cretaceous example. This contrast in reef style may be attributable to: (1) intensified production and dispersal of chalk; (2) extinction/emigration of Jurassic microsolenids; and, (3) implicit description of Cretaceous mesophotic reefs.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55207,"journal":{"name":"Cretaceous Research","volume":"172 ","pages":"Article 106123"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-03-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143768364","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ashu Khosla , Karen Chin , Omkar Verma , Spencer G. Lucas , Adrian P. Hunt , Dangpeng Xi , Debi Dutta , Habib Alimohammadian
{"title":"Palaeoenvironmental and palaeoecological inferences from inclusions in vertebrate omnivore coprolites from the Upper Cretaceous Lameta Formation of central India","authors":"Ashu Khosla , Karen Chin , Omkar Verma , Spencer G. Lucas , Adrian P. Hunt , Dangpeng Xi , Debi Dutta , Habib Alimohammadian","doi":"10.1016/j.cretres.2025.106110","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cretres.2025.106110","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Fossil faeces, or coprolites, offer unique insights into prehistoric food webs and ecosystems as well as direct evidence of the diet of faecal producers. We collected hundreds of coprolites from the Upper Cretaceous Pisdura site of Central India. Type A morphotype coprolites from the Lameta Formation of Pisdura, Maharashtra, India, have been found to have a rich microbiota with unique plant fossils. When macerated fractions were analysed using scanning electron microscopy, seven ostracod taxa were found, together with diatoms (<em>Aulacoseira</em> sp.), a charophyte (<em>Microchara</em> sp.), and sponge spicules. Thin sections of one of the coprolites also revealed a large number of likely chrysophytes. One of the cut slab specimens of the coprolite contains an insect body part with a partially intact wing. In addition, a review of previous studies reveals that spores, fungal remnants, thecamoebians, testate amoebae, and plant remains are also present in the Type A coprolites. For the Lameta Formation in Pisdura, the microbiota provide evidence for a Maastrichtian age and fluvio-lacustrine depositional conditions and other varied environments. Much of the plant detritus is not identifiable, but some tissues can be recognised, such as Poaceae cuticle, spores, wood, cones, seeds, phytoliths, and silica-replaced leaf laminae. Chemical analyses show that the coprolites have a phosphorus content of between 12.2 and 16.2 weight% which suggests a carnivorous habit. Thus, these Type A coprolites reveal that the ancient faecal producers not only consumed aquatic microbiota and abundant plant tissues but also likely ingested soft animal tissues as well. Although water input may have been the source of testate amoebae, diatoms, sponge spicules, and algae remnants, the peculiar pairing of a phosphatic composition with dietary residues from plants and microbiota suggests that the ancient faecal producers were omnivores. This feeding habit implied by the Type A coprolites indicates that previous attributions to herbivorous titanosaurs are not well-supported.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55207,"journal":{"name":"Cretaceous Research","volume":"172 ","pages":"Article 106110"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-03-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143725168","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"New species of Lechytia Balzan, 1892 (Arachnida: Pseudoscorpiones) from Burmese amber highlights 99 million years of morphological stasis","authors":"Maya Hagen , Ulrich Kotthoff , Danilo Harms , Stephanie F. Loria","doi":"10.1016/j.cretres.2025.106120","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cretres.2025.106120","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The pseudoscorpion genus <em>Lechytia</em> Balzan, 1892 (Chthoniidae Daday, 1889: Lechytiinae Chamberlin, 1929) includes 27 extant species that are distributed across all continents except Antarctica, and a single extinct species from Dominican amber of Miocene age. We document the first record of <em>Lechytia</em> from Burmese amber (Cenomanian: ∼99 Ma), <em>Lechytia finniae</em> sp. nov., making it the oldest fossil record for <em>Lechytia</em> and extending the known temporal range of this group by more than 70 million years into the Mesozoic. The new species differs from most extant <em>Lechytia</em> species due to the distance between trichobothria <em>sb</em> and <em>b</em> that are separated by at least one areolar diameter, and by the absence of eyes. Since there is a close morphological resemblance between <em>L. finniae</em> sp. nov. and extant <em>Lechytia</em> species, the new fossil is placed in an extant genus and represents yet another example of morphological stasis in pseudoscorpions. The presence of <em>Lechytia</em> in Burmese amber implies that this genus was present on the Burma Terrane in the Cretaceous although no extant species are known from this landmass today. The ecology of extant species may lend support to a tropical forest environment on the Burma Terrane.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55207,"journal":{"name":"Cretaceous Research","volume":"172 ","pages":"Article 106120"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-03-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143759292","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Rongkun Jia , Jingjing Liu , James C. Hower , Yaofa Jiang , Shumao Zhao , Qiuchan Han , Niande Shang , Jiawei Feng , Kaiyan Teng
{"title":"Sedimentary conditions and palaeoenvironment during the Early Cretaceous: Evidence from macerals and organic carbon isotopes of the coal from Hailar Basin, Northeast China","authors":"Rongkun Jia , Jingjing Liu , James C. Hower , Yaofa Jiang , Shumao Zhao , Qiuchan Han , Niande Shang , Jiawei Feng , Kaiyan Teng","doi":"10.1016/j.cretres.2025.106118","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cretres.2025.106118","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The Cretaceous represented a Period of intense palaeoenvironmental change. Coal seams preserve continual records of palaeoenvironments, such as wildfire events that occur during peat accumulation. To understand wildfire events and terrestrial climate variations during the peat accumulation, maceral characteristics and organic carbon isotope compositions were examined in the Lower Cretaceous coals from Yimin and Baorixile mines, which are located in the south and north of Hailar Basin, Northeast China, respectively. The dominant macerals are inertinite and huminite and the former has an average content of 57.9 % and 51.3 % in the Yimin and Baorixile mines, respectively, indicating the coals are an inertinite-rich. The features and abundance of inertinite shows they are formed by high frequency-wildfire events. The palaeo-wildfire temperatures estimated by average inertinite reflectance of the Yimin and Baorixile coal mines are proximately 333 °C and 344 °C, respectively, indicating that the palaeo-wildfire were the type of ground fire. The difference in palaeo-wildfire temperatures between the Baorixile and Yimin coal mines indicates that different vegetation types were developed in the northern and southern regions. Wildfire, an important event of the Early Cretaceous peat-accumulating system in the Hailar Basin, might have influenced the evolution of vegetation and ecological cycle both in the land and water systems. The subtle variability of the organic carbon isotope in the coal seam profile implies a response to the palaeoclimate change of seasonally wet and dry.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55207,"journal":{"name":"Cretaceous Research","volume":"171 ","pages":"Article 106118"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-03-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143637504","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Paulo M. Brito , Ingrid M. Veiga , Didier B. Dutheil , Lilian P. Bergqvist
{"title":"First occurrence of Distobatus Werner, 1989 (Elasmobranchii: Hybodontiformes) in the middle Cretaceous (Albian–Cenomanian) of Brazil: Taxonomic and biogeographical implications","authors":"Paulo M. Brito , Ingrid M. Veiga , Didier B. Dutheil , Lilian P. Bergqvist","doi":"10.1016/j.cretres.2025.106119","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cretres.2025.106119","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Fossil teeth from the middle Cretaceous (Albian–Cenomanian) Açu Formation of the Potiguar Basin, Northeastern Brazil, previously described as <em>Tribodus</em> sp., are redescribed as a new species of the hybodontiform shark genus <em>Distobatus</em> Werner, 1989. The new taxon, <em>Distobatus potiguarense</em> sp. nov., is based on crown ornamentation, formed by delicate parallel ridges in the form of waves that follow each other, in occlusal view. The presence of <em>Distobatus</em> in the Açu Formation represents the westernmost distribution of this taxon and confirms the taxonomic and environmental similarity between the faunas found in North Africa and Northeastern Brazil. The new species confirms the existence of Distobatidae in South America immediately after the separation of the northern part of Gondwana.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55207,"journal":{"name":"Cretaceous Research","volume":"171 ","pages":"Article 106119"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-03-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143610675","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
László Bujtor , Marouf A.M. Abdelhamid , Gamal M.E. El Qot , Gabriella Földvári
{"title":"Latest Albian echinoids from Pénzesgyőr (Bakony Mountains, Transdanubian Range) including the first record of Trochotiara bourgueti (Agassiz, 1840) from Hungary","authors":"László Bujtor , Marouf A.M. Abdelhamid , Gamal M.E. El Qot , Gabriella Földvári","doi":"10.1016/j.cretres.2025.106100","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cretres.2025.106100","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Glauconitic, condensed beds of uppermost Albian (<em>Arrhaphoceras (Praeschloenbachia) briacense</em>/<em>Pervinquieria perinflata</em> zones) at Tilos forest, Pénzesgyőr, Transdanubian Range, AlCaPa (=Alpine-Carpathian-Pannonian) tectonic unit in Hungary have yielded a rich fossil assemblage. It comprises mostly fragmentary ammonites, well-preserved echinoids, less abundant bivalves, gastropods, belemnites, and rare brachiopods and nautiloids. Amongst echinoids, five species have been distinguished (<em>Camerogalerus conica</em>, <em>Catopygus neocylindricus</em>, <em>Holaster laevis</em>, <em>Hemiaster minimus</em>, and <em>Trochotiara bourgueti</em>). The assemblage is dominated by <em>Camerogalerus conicus</em> and <em>Catopygus neocylindricus</em>. <em>Trochotiara bourgueti</em> is recorded for the first time from Hungary extending its stratigraphical range to the uppermost Albian. <em>Hemiaster minimus</em> is documented for the first time from Hungary. The palaeobiogeography, taphonomy and microfacies have been discussed. Palaeobiogeographical analysis of the reported echinoid species and some selected ammonite genera revealed similar distribution patterns for the Bakony Mountains indicating a transitional area and mixing zone for the northern and southern Tethyan taxa.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55207,"journal":{"name":"Cretaceous Research","volume":"171 ","pages":"Article 106100"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-02-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143509482","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Meiling Han , Gang Li , Ulrich Heimhofer , Jörg Mutterlose
{"title":"Late Albian–early Turonian calcareous nannofossils from southern Tibet — Implications for preservation, biostratigraphy and palaeoecology","authors":"Meiling Han , Gang Li , Ulrich Heimhofer , Jörg Mutterlose","doi":"10.1016/j.cretres.2025.106101","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cretres.2025.106101","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Marine strata of Cretaceous age are widely distributed and well exposed in the Gamba area of South Tibet. A pre-requisite for understanding the depositional and palaeoenvironmental processes, which formed these deposits, is a reliable stratigraphic framework. The strata of the Qiangdong section in the Gamba area yielded calcareous nannofossils which provide a powerful tool for establishing a detailed biostratigraphic subdivision. They also allow for supra-regional correlation, ideally on a global scale. The current study investigates the preservational state and stratigraphic significance of calcareous nannofossils from 63 samples. A total of 76 species have been identified in the 159 m thick section, allowing for the recognition of seven bioevents (calcareous nannofossil zones UC0 to UC7) covering the upper Albian–lower Turonian interval. The first occurrences of the calcareous nannofossil marker species <em>Corollithion kennedyi</em> (base UC1a, 100.5 Ma) and <em>Quadrum intermedium</em> (base UC5c, 94.1 Ma) constrain the Albian/Cenomanian and Cenomanian/Turonian boundaries in the Qiangdong section. A regional comparison with findings from the Tingri area, about 150 km west of the studied section, enhances the precision of biostratigraphic correlations in South Tibet. The findings emphasize that preservation and diagenetic influence need to be critically considered when interpreting nannofossil assemblages for palaeoenvironmental reconstructions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55207,"journal":{"name":"Cretaceous Research","volume":"171 ","pages":"Article 106101"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-02-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143471191","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Domingas Maria da Conceição , Mário G.F. Esperança Júnior , William V. Gobo , Roberto Iannuzzi , Maria E.P. Batista , Daniel Rodrigues do Nascimento Jr. , Wellington Ferreira da Silva Filho , Rodrigo Scalise Horodysk , Marion K. Bamford , Lutz Kunzmann
{"title":"Unique conifer assemblage from Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous deposits (NE Brazil) unveils the paleoclimate and paleobiogeography in the interior of equatorial Gondwana","authors":"Domingas Maria da Conceição , Mário G.F. Esperança Júnior , William V. Gobo , Roberto Iannuzzi , Maria E.P. Batista , Daniel Rodrigues do Nascimento Jr. , Wellington Ferreira da Silva Filho , Rodrigo Scalise Horodysk , Marion K. Bamford , Lutz Kunzmann","doi":"10.1016/j.cretres.2025.106099","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cretres.2025.106099","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The Brazilian paleoxyloflora conspicuously lacks a robust Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous record. However, several fossil woods have been reported since the 18th century from the Upper Jurassic to Lower Cretaceous deposits of Missão Velha Formation, Araripe Basin, northeastern Brazil, although no taxonomic and systematic analysis has been carried out so far. Here, we provide the first taxonomic and systematic study of these fossil woods, utilizing them for paleoclimatic and paleobiogeographic inferences for this region in equatorial Gondwana. We thus describe a new fossil-species, <em>Metapodocarpoxylon brasiliense</em>, and document, for the first time, the presence of <em>Agathoxylon mendezii</em> in Brazil. They are distinguished by characters of radial pit arrangement, cross-field pits, presence of resin plugs, axial parenchyma, septate tracheids, and ray seriation and height. These fossil-genera have been previously observed in other Mesozoic paleoxylofloras of Gondwana, being <em>Metapodocarpoxylon,</em> in particular, restricted to the tropical belt and coastal areas, and its occurrence in Brazilian paleofloras is unknown to date. Its new occurrence suggests a migration of this element of the paleovegetation towards inland areas likely triggered by paleoclimatic changes from the Late Jurassic onwards. The presence of indistinct and distinct growth rings with narrow latewood in the conifer assemblage suggests a moderately seasonal paleoclimate with rainy and dry seasons, which is also supported by the geological data, probably stimulated by the monsoonal regime in the basinal area. The new wood records, combined with geological and paleoclimatological background information and palynological data obtained from the study area in the early 2000’s allowed for a preliminary reconstruction of a segment of the landscape during deposition of the Missão Velha Formation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55207,"journal":{"name":"Cretaceous Research","volume":"170 ","pages":"Article 106099"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-02-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143395956","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}