A new Late Triassic palynological assemblage from western Gondwana (Carrizal Formation, Marayes Basin, Argentina)

Abstract

The Carrizal Formation, exposed in the Marayes-El Carrizal Basin (western Argentina), has been the focus of palaeobotanical studies since the late 1800s. The recent finding of well-preserved palyno­logical assemblages provides the first detailed studies about its palynofloras. In this paper, the 63 taxa identified in the unit are illustrated and discussed, as well as their stratigraphic distribution in equivalent palynological assemblages of Argentina. Some spore species are revised: Uvaesporites hammenii (Herbst) Césari, comb. nov., Retusotriletes wielandii (Jain) Césari, comb. nov. and Lundbladispora stellae (Herbst) Césari, comb. nov. The recognition of Cadargasporites baculatus de Jersey & Paten emend. Reiser & Williams, Craterisporites rotundus de Jersey, Enzonalasporites vigens Leschik, ­Leptolepidites argenteaeformis (Bolkhovitina) Morbey, Protodiploxypinus americus Dunay & Fisher and Rugulatisporites permixtus Playford, among others, appears to be useful for local and intercontinental correlations. A Carnian age is proposed for the palynofloras.