Palynology and age of the Tadmor Group (Late Miocene-Pliocene) and Porika Formation (early Pleistocene), South Island, New Zealand

Abstract

The Porika Formation, type formation of the Porikan glacial stage, contains palynomorphs of early Pleistocene (Hautawan) age. The underlying Tadmor Group consists of the Moutere Gravel overlying the Glenhope Formation. Palynomorphs from the Moutere Gravel are assigned to the Waipipian-Hautawan (middle Pliocene-early Pleistocene) and from the Glenhope Formation are assigned to the ?Kapitean-Opoitian (Late MioceneEarly Pliocene), although basal beds may be a little older.

Deep‐sea record of Pliocene and Pleistocene terrestrial palynomorphs from offshore eastern New Zealand (ODP Site 1123, Leg 181)

“…ago (Mildenhall 2001b). The LO of Podosporites brevisaccatus related to the podocarps Microstrobos and Microcachrys, is consistent with that indicated in Mildenhall & Suggate (1982) and unpublished GNS files.…”

“…Of significance biostratigraphically is the LO of Kuylisporites waterbolkii at the base of the sequence, discussed above. Most of the other extinct taxa are known to have their LO in much younger terrestrial sediments (e.g., Mildenhall & Suggate 1982;Nelson et al 1988). The significance of some of these taxa is described above.…”

“…The significance of the more important extinct taxa found at Site 1123 has been discussed above and can be compared with the Pliocene and Pleistocene extinctions as illustrated in New Zealand literature (e.g., Couper & Harris 1960;Mildenhall & Suggate 1982;Mildenhall , 1999Mildenhall , 2001aNelson et al 1988Nelson et al , 1989. Generally, the same patterns are found with extinctions leading up to and within the MPT with only rare in situ extinct taxa, Bryosporis (not found at Site 1123), Acaciapollenites, Haloragacidites harrisii, Podosporites erugatus, and possibly Nothofagidites cranwelliae, appearing after the MPT.…”

A redescription ofPodosporites parvus(Couper) Mildenhall emend. Mildenhall & Byrami from the Early Pleistocene, and late extinction of plant taxa in northern New Zealand

“…Similar fossil species from South Africa, described as P. parvus, also come from lowland subtropical forest situations quite unrelated to alpine or sub-alpine environments (Coetzee & Rogers 1982;Coetzee 1983;Coetzee & Muller 1983). In New Zealand, Podosporites species are regularly found in settings suggesting harsh paleoclimatic conditions (e.g., Mildenhall 1978;Mildenhall & Suggate 1982) but, again, are just as often associated with lowland beech/podocarp and hardwood/ podocarp forest pollen assemblages from the Miocene and Pliocene-Pleistocene (e.g., Nelson et al 1988;Mildenhall 2001a). Similarly, the combination of P. parvus in a lowland forest setting, along with Cupanieidites sp.…”

TertiaryBluffopollis scabratus(Couper) Pocknall & Mildenhall, 1984 and modernStrasburgeriapollen: a botanical comparison

“…Reports of Bluffopollis scabratus from the Tertiary of New Zealand and Australia (Couper 1954(Couper , 1960McIntyre· & Harris 1961;McIntyre 1962;Harris 1965Harris , 1972McIntyre & Norris 1966;Mildenhall & Suggate 1981;Stover & Partridge 1982;Hill & Macphail 1983;Pocknall & Mildenhall 1984;Milne 1988;Mildenhall & Pockna1l1989;Pocknall & Turnbull 1989) point to a probable, much wider, Cenozoic geographical distribution for the Strasburgeria lineage than today, and further support an Australian -New ZealandNew Caledonian phytogeographical connection during the early Tertiary.…”