A new species of Trigonostemon Blume (Euphorbiaceae) from the middle Miocene of Fujian, Southeast China and its paleoclimatic and paleoecological significance
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Abstract:
A new species of Trigonostemon Blume, namely Trigonostemon zhangpuensis sp. nov. J.L. Dong et B.N. Sun, is established based on well-preserved leaf fossils from the Fotan Group in Zhangpu County, Fujian, Southeast China. The new species is characterized by oblanceolate lamina with cuneate and narrow base, acuminate apex, serrate margin at the distal part and entire margin at the proximal 1/3 part of the lamina, pinnate brochidodromous venation with a stout primary vein thinning gradually toward the apex, anomocytic stomatal complex, sparsely distributed and randomly arranged stomata, and normal epidermal cells with striate periclinal walls. The morphological characters of the fossil leaves closely resemble those of extant Trigonostemon xyphophyllorides (Croiz.) L. K. Dai et T. L. Wu., which is endemic to Hainan Province. The ecological amplitude of the fossil species is similar to that of its nearest living relatives; the paleoclimate of the Zhangpu area during the middle Miocene might be similar to that of Hainan Province today. We recognize thirteen insect-mediated damage types belonging to six functional feeding groups on the leaves of T. zhangpuensis. The damage types include hole feeding, margin feeding, skeletonization, surface feeding, galling, and piercing and sucking. Moreover, our observation suggests that phytophagous insects feeding on leaves of T. zhangpuensis might be relatively diverse.
