Ultrastructural investigations of the early normapolles taxa complexiopollis and limaipollenites

Abstract

The ultrastructure of two form‐species of Complexiopollis Krutzsch 1959 emend. Tschudy 1973, and three form‐species of Limaipollenites Diniz, Kedves & Simoncsics 1974/1977 from Upper Cenomanian beds of Vila Flor, Portugal, were investigated. In general, the basic organization of these early Normapolles is identical with that of Recent brevaxonate taxa. The results of our TEM Studies, however, augment data provided by light microscopy in that new details of exine stratification in the germinal areas are revealed. The tectum of Complexiopollis is channeled; in Limaipollenites it is channeled or perforated. An important feature of these early forms of Normapolles is the channeled foot layer of Complexiopollis. The infratectal layer in the intergerminal exine of all species investigated is columellar. In the germinal area of Complexiopollis the infratectal layer is granular. The differentiation of the foot layer in the apertural area is characteristic for the form‐genus Limaipollenites, but this feature appears to differ in several species or groups of species of Complexiopollis. Lamellar structures often are present in the germinal area.