New anthrophyopsis fossil materials found in Sichuan Basin, China

Anthrophyopsis Nathorst is an extinct however consultant Late Triassic gymnosperm genus. However, the taxonomic statuses and the leaf morphological variation of this fossil plant stay unclear.

Recently, a global analysis workforce led by Prof. Wang Yongdong from the Nanjing Institute of Geology and Paleontology of the Chinese Academy of Science (NIGPAS) found a number of well-preserved fossil materials belonging to Anthrophyopsis from the Upper Triassic Xujiahe Formation in Guangyuan City of northern Sichuan Basin, China.

Their findings have been printed in Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology.

Prof. Mihai E. Popa from University of Bucharest of Romania and Prof. Zhang Tingshan’s workforce from Southwest Petroleum University of China have been additionally concerned as key members within the examine.

The researchers performed a complete systematic examine of Anthrophyopsis and investigated the importance of its tempo-spatial distribution sample.

“The newly collected specimens show various outlines with depths of incision for different leaves, pointing to transitional shapes between entire and lobed margins,” stated Prof. Wang. This enabled an in depth and up to date morphological prognosis emendation of this fossil at genus and species degree.

Then, the researchers performed a brand new reconstruction of its sort species Anthrophyopsis crassinervis with emphasis on its heteromorphic leaf morphologies.

The re-investigation on the worldwide fossil report exhibits that amongst 16 species of Anthrophyopsis documented worldwide, solely three of them are legitimate species, different 4 species want additional revision, and 9 species are invalid.

In addition, the researchers discovered that Anthrophyopsis has a brief stratigraphic vary and confined to Upper Triassic sequences, from the Carnian to the Rhaetian in age. Anthrophyopsis probably originated from the South China Block in the course of the Carnian, migrated alongside the northern body of the Tethys realm, and eventually arrived in Middle East and Europe.

“The short stratigraphic range of Anthrophyopsis in the Southern Floristic Province (SFP) implies a climate differentiation between the SFP and the Northern Floristic Province during the Late Triassic,” stated Prof. Wang.