Araceae from the Early Cretaceous of Portugal: Evidence on the emergence of monocotyledons

Abstract

A new species (Mayoa portugallica genus novum species novum) of highly characteristic inaperturate, striate fossil pollen is described from the Early Cretaceous (Barremian-Aptian) of Torres Vedras in the Western Portuguese Basin. Based on comparison with extant taxa, Mayoa is assigned to the tribe Spathiphylleae (subfamily Monsteroideae) of the extant monocotyledonous family Araceae. Recognition of Araceae in the Early Cretaceous is consistent with the position of this family and other Alismatales as the sister group to all other monocots except Acorus. The early occurrence is also consistent with the position of Spathiphylleae with respect to the bulk of aroid diversity. Mayoa occurs in the earliest fossil floras (from circa 110 to 120 million years ago) that contain angiosperm flowers, carpels, and stamens. The new fossil provides unequivocal evidence of monocots in early angiosperm assemblages that also include a variety of key ''magnoliid'' lineages (e.g., Chloranthaceae) but only a limited diversity of eudicots.fossil angiosperms ͉ angiosperm evolution ͉ striate pollen ͉ zona-aperturate pollen ͉ extinctions

Temporal lags and overlap in the diversification of weevils and flowering plants

“…Monocots were among the most abundant and ecologically successful early angiosperms. Indeed, most early angiosperm fossils, for example Barremian-Aptian, are from Magnoliales or monocots (28)(29)(30), not eudicots. Most other Curculionidae, and most extant species of Anthribidae, Attelabidae, and Brentidae, feed on the living, dead, dying, or fungus-infested tissues of core eudicots, the most diverse group of living angiosperms.…”

A Review of the Effect of Relaxed Clock Method, Long Branches, Genes, and Calibrations in the Estimation of Angiosperm Age

“…Third, there is a strong agreement in the general sequence of appearance of major angiosperm lineages in the stratigraphic record and the sequence of branching in molecular phylogenies: The oldest fossil fl oras that contain reproductive remains with suffi ciently detailed preservation to allow comparisons with living lineages occur in localities from Portugal (e.g., Friis et al, 2004), Gabon (Doyle et al, 1990a, b), eastern North America (e.g., Crane et al, 1993;von Balthazar et al, 2007) and Brazil (e.g., Mohr and Bernardes-de-Oliveira, 2004), dated from the late Barremian to the middle Albian (between ca. 125 and 106 Ma).…”

“…It is extraordinarily signifi cant that the oldest identifi able angiosperm fossils correspond to the earliest diverging branches in molecular phylogenies (Doyle, 2012), specifi cally, Nymphaeales (Monetianthus mirus; Friis et al, 2001Friis et al, , 2009); Austrobaileyales (Anacostia spp. ; Friis et al, 1997a); Chloranthales (the Asteropollis plant; Friis et al, 1994aFriis et al, , 1997bFriis et al, , 1999; the earliest diverging branches within Magnoliidae, namely Calycanthaceae and Lauraceae within Laurales (Virginianthus calycanthoides; Friis et al, 1994b andPotomacanthus lobatus, Crane et al, 1994;von Balthazar et al, 2007, respectively), Magnoliaceae within Magnoliales (Endressinia brasiliana; Mohr and Bernardes-de-Oliveira, 2004), and Winteraceae within Canellales (Walkeripollis; Doyle et al, 1990a, b); Monocotyledoneae, namely Araceae within Alismatales (Mayoa portugallica; Friis et al, 2004); and Eudicotlyledoneae, namely Ranunculales (Teixeiraea lusitanica;von Balthazar, 2005) and Nelumbonaceae and Platanaceae within Proteales (the Nelumbites plant; Upchurch et al, 1994, and the Sapindopsis plant; Crane et al, 1993, respectively). Each of these three lines of evidence is substantial in itself, and together, they constitute a formidable objection to the possibility of an extensive missing history in the early fossil record of angiosperms.…”

Síntesis de los trabajos paleobotánicos del Cretácico en México

“…Sin embargo, este tipo de granos aparecen a partir del Aptiano inferior y fueron reportados en Israel y Reino Unido (Brenner, 1996;Hughes, 1994). El género Jugella (Araceae) se conoce desde el Berriasiano en Centroeuropa, sin embargo, difiere del género Spathiphyllum, que aparece en el Albiano, por ser monocolpado (Friis et al, 2004). Recientemente, Eguiluz-de-Antuñano (artículo en preparación), discute la asignación cronológica de esta misma Formación en la misma localidad de Santa María del Oro, fechándola en Jurásico Inferior hasta posiblemente Triásico Superior en base a diferentes grupos de fauna marina, además de basarse en una datación absoluta por el método de K-Ar que ha proporcionado una edad de Jurásico Superior en la unidad suprayacente (Esquisto Pescadito).…”