Fossil Woods From Albian Cretaceous Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia

Fossil woods from the Lower Cretaceous (Albian) of Kamchatka Peninsula, Russian Far East

Authors:

Afonin et al

Abstract:

Three coniferous fossil wood taxa are described from the Kedrovka Formation (Albian) of Kamchatka Peninsula, Russian Far East: Protocedroxylon gregussii (Shilkina) Shilkina & Chudajberdyev, Taxaceoxylon sp. and Xenoxylon phyllocladoides Gothan. This wood flora is quite peculiar when compared to coeval wood floras from the same area. It yields the first safe report of Taxaceoxylon fossil wood from the Lower Cretaceous of Asia. The record of Xenoxylon phyllocladoides represents the latest stratigraphic occurrence of this species and the first from Russia. Taxaceae-like fossil wood record is reappraised and shown to be consistent with recent cladistic results, suggesting a boreal origin and a link to the Pinaceae. The palaeoecology of the Kedrovka Formation wood flora is investigated. The peculiarities of the flora might be explained by an oceanic palaeoclimate.