Diverse assemblages of Mid Devonian megaspores from Libya

in Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology (2011), 165

[en] A restudy of Devonian palynological assemblages of samples from the A1-69 borehole, drilled in the Ghadamis Basin, western Libya, North Africa has led to the discovery of numerous well-preserved ... [more ▼]

[en] A restudy of Devonian palynological assemblages of samples from the A1-69 borehole, drilled in the Ghadamis Basin, western Libya, North Africa has led to the discovery of numerous well-preserved megaspores amongst abundant miospores, rare acritarchs and rare chitinozoans. Thirteen samples from base to top, 1496 ft (456 m) up to 965 ft (294 m), contain the richest Devonian megaspore assemblages from northwestern Gondwana. The section is dated by a rich diverse miospore assemblage indicating the presence of the upper part of the AD pre-Lem Biozone up to the lower part of the TCo Oppel Zone, ranging from a latest Eifelian or earliest Givetian age up to a latest Givetian or an earliest Frasnian age. Seventeen megaspore taxa have been identified. Among them, two new species (Biharisporites lugardonii and Lagenicula milleri) and four new varieties (Corystisporites acutispinosus var. acutispinosus and var. bullatus, Heliotriletes longispinosus var. longispinosus and var. radiatus) are described. One new possible megaspore species is also described: Verruciretusispora labiosa sp. nov. One core sample (1293 ft, 394 m) contains several specimens of very large megaspores (ca. 1 mm), the largest known from Devonian localities (except for one specimen observed in the Givetian from Belgium). Among the 17 megaspore taxa from Libya, 6 are present on the Euramerican Continent. This observation is in accordance with previous palynological conclusions that favour the absence of palaeogeographic barriers between the Euramerican and Gondwanan continents that are suggested to be grouped together in a “Pre-Pangea” land mass. [less ▲]

Famennian charcoal of Belgium.

in Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology (2010)

The flora from Dechra-Aït- Abdallah (Morocco): a Lower to Middle Devonian transitional assemblage.

Conference (2010)

Les premières plantes terrestres (Embryophytes) : origine et diversification - deuxième partie.

Conference (2009)

Lignophyte evolution and heterospory: the early steps

Conference (2008)

Strud: Old quarry, new discoveries. Preliminary report.

in Carnets de Géologie = Notebooks on Geology (2007), 2007(01), 43-47

Lectotypification of the Famennian pre-ovule Condrusia rumex Stockmans, 1948

in Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology (2006), 142(3-4), 161-164

Condrusia rumex Stockmans 1948 occurs in several localities of the Belgian Evieux Formation (late Famennian, Upper Devonian). It consists of a hastate organ borne at the tip of "slender, dichotomizing ... [more ▼]

Condrusia rumex Stockmans 1948 occurs in several localities of the Belgian Evieux Formation (late Famennian, Upper Devonian). It consists of a hastate organ borne at the tip of "slender, dichotomizing" axes. Various interpretations have been given to this intriguing structure, ranging from a spore-bearing organ to a fern prothallus but recent investigations consider Condrusia to be an ovulate structures produced by early seed plants. The genus Condrusia includes 3 species: C rumex Stockmans, C. minor Stockmans and C. brevis Petrosjan. C rumex was described by Stockmans in 1948, who provided a diagnosis and illustrations, but failed to designate a holotype. We are currently reinvestigating the genus and we here designate and illustrate a lectotype for the genus and species C. rumex. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. [less ▲]