A combined LM and SEM study of selected palynomorphs from the palaeoflora of the Paleocene Konservat-Lagerstätte Menat (Puy-de-Dôme, France)

ABSTRACT

In the course of a pilot study on the palynology of the late Paleocene (Thanetian) maar deposits of Menat (Puy-de-Dôme, Auvergne, France), selected palynomorphs were analysed with the single grain technique. This technique allows for a consecutive analysis of individual grains by means of light microscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The current study demonstrates the occurrence of diverse lineages of palynomorphs comprising algae, spores and pollen. So far 45 different types of palynomorphs were analysed, illustrated and wherever possible assigned to families encompassing chlorococcalean and zygnematalean algae, ferns, gymnosperms and angiosperms. The latter group was the most diverse one among the analysed palynomorphs. The palynomorphs described in this study represent only a small, non-representative selection of palynomorphs that occur in the palynoflora of the maar lake from Menat, and hence more effort is expected to be done in the future. However, the data and interpretations presented here are preliminary ones, they could help to understand and refine our knowledge about the palaeoflora and palaeoenvironments of this important locality and fossil archive, as well as their development through time.

KEYWORDS:

• Menat
• Paleocene
• France
• palynology
• single grain technique
• LM
• SEM

Acknowledgments

The authors thank the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) for funding the fieldwork in Menat (DFG UH 122/6-1); the entire French-German team from the 2014 excavation in Menat; Claudia Franz (Senckenberg Frankfurt) for technical support with SEM facilities; the village of Menat and the major, Monsieur Daniel Mazuel, for the constant and enthusiastic help of our research in Menat; and especially Dr. S. Hervet, Musée de Menat, for her aid during fieldwork. H. El Atfy acknowledges financial support from Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, Germany (EGY - 1190326 - GF-P). The authors are most grateful to Vivi Vajda, and an anonymous reviewer, for their insightful reviews.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Haytham El Atfy

Haytham El Atfy: LM and SEM analyses of all materials, discussion of results, revision and editing of the manuscript.

Khum N. Paudayal

Khum N. Paudayal: LM and SEM analyses of all materials, discussion of results, revision and editing of the manuscript.

Dieter Uhl

Dieter Uhl: Fieldwork and sampling, discussion of results, revision and editing of the manuscript.