Late Permian palynology of Fossilryggen, Vestfjella, Dronning Maud Land, Antarctica

Abstract

Ninety‐one samples from three sections at Fossilryggen in the Vestfjella mountain range of Antarctica have been investigated palynologically. Sixty‐six taxa are recognized in forty‐eight productive samples from two of these sections: the southern section at Fossilryggen and the NW Nunatak section. The palynomorphs have been subjected to contact metamorphosis and display various grades of thermal maturity, ranging in color from light brown to black. They also display various degrees of preservation. Among the spores found are Didecitriletes ericianus, D. uncinatus, Dictyotriletes labyrinthicus (Anderson) comb, nov., Horriditriletes filiformis, Microbaculispora trisina, M. villosa, Osmundacidites wellmanii and Gondisporites raniganjensis. Taeniate and non‐taeniate bisaccates are dominant and include Scheuringipollenites ovatus, S. maximus, Vitreisporites pallidus, Protohaploxypinus spp., Striatopodo‐carpidites spp. and Guttulapollenites hannonicus. Other pollengrains present are Weylandites lucifer, Praecolpatites sinuosus and Bascanisporites undosus. Although the sections have been interpreted as being deposited in a near‐shore marine environment, acritarchs and algae are rare in these assemblages and include the forms Peltacystiavenosa, P. monile, Cymatiosphaera gondwanensis, Leiosphaeridia sp. B and Brazilea scissa.

These assemblages are regarded as being of Late Permian age, Kazanian to Tatarian, and are correlated with Upper Stage 5 palynofloras in Australia, and with similar assemblages in Africa and India. Correlations are also made with other Late Permian palynofloras within Antarctica.