亚洲新生代藓类植物化石非常稀少, 漳浦琥珀是目前已知的我国低纬度地区唯一含苔藓植物化石的新生代琥珀矿床。漳浦琥珀源自中中新世气候适宜期(~14–17 Ma)的龙脑香树脂, 温暖潮湿的热带季雨林气候和广泛分布的龙脑香科植物, 为藓类植物的生长、多样性演化和三维立体保存提供了条件。本研究共报道了漳浦县中中新世藓类植物化石3个属种, 包括: 白发藓属Leucobryum Hampe、牛舌藓属Anomodon Hook. et Taylor和扁枝藓属Homalia (Brid.) B.S.G.。首次利用三维X射线断层扫描技术(Micro-CT)研究了白发藓属化石, 发现其与现生种短枝白发藓Leucobryum humillimum Cardot非常相似, 因此将其命名为短枝白发藓(相似种) Leucobryum cf. humillimum。此外, 当前牛舌藓属Anomodon和扁枝藓属Homalia化石是东亚地区的首例记录。漳浦琥珀中的藓类植物化石揭示了中中新世时期苔藓植物的多样性, 丰富了东亚低纬度地区新生代苔藓植物的化石记录。

Cenozoic bryophytes are rare in Asia. Zhangpu amber is the only known Cenozoic amber containing bryophyte fossils in low latitudes of China. Zhangpu amber was formed during the warmest period of the Mid-Miocene Climatic Optimum (MMCO, ~14 to 17 Ma), which is also well known for the appearance of Dipterocarpaceae-dominated megathermal seasonal rainforests. The warm and humid climate of these forests may have triggered the diversity, evolution, and three-dimensional preservation of bryophytes. Here, three moss genera, including Leucobryum Hampe, Anomodon Hook. Et Taylor and Homalia (Brid.) B.S.G., are reported from the Middle Miocene Zhangpu amber, Fujian Province, China. This study also includes the first study of an amber inclusion of Leucobryum utilizing X-ray microcomputed tomography. The new fossil specimen, assigned to Leucobryum cf. humillimum, is most similar to extant Leucobryum humillimum Cardot. The new Anomodon and Homalia specimens represent the first fossil records preserved in amber from East Asia. The fossil mosses from Zhangpu amber increase the bryophyte diversity in the Middle Miocene and enrich the poor Cenozoic bryophyte fossil record in the low latitudes of East Asia.

中国科学院战略性现代先导科技专项(B类) (XDB26000000)、国家自然科学基金(41902010)、江苏省自然科学基金(BK20191100)和中国科学院南京地质古生物研究所古生物与地层学国家重点实验室(20192109)联合资助