Angiosperm fossil woods, Cryptocaryeae (Lauraceae) and Cunoniaceae, with marine borers from Day Nunatak, Western Antarctica (Snow Hill Island Formation, Upper Cretaceous)

Abstract

We describe three fossil woods from Day Nunatak, Snow Hill Island collected from outcrops of the Snow Hill Island Formation (CampanianeMaastrichtian). The first specimen is assigned to Longexylon oliveroi gen. et sp. nov., a Cryptocaryeae (Lauraceae), which suggests an Antarctic origin of the Beilschmiedia-Cryptocarya clade. The second specimen is assigned to Eucryphiaceoxylon eucryphioides, which increases the number and biogeographical range of this common fossil-species of Antarctica and Patagonia. The third specimen, less well preserved, is tentatively assigned to the same fossil-species as the second. The three specimens show evidence of biodeterioration by marine wood borers assigned to the ichnospecies Apectoichnus longissimus and Teredolites clavatus. Some T. clavatus borings had subsequent colonization by marine agglutinating organisms. Two borings of one specimen preserved the valves of the borer organism, probably a pholadoid bivalve.