Microspinosporites, a new genus of Palaeozoic pseudosaccate miospores of flemingitalean affinity

Abstract

Pennsylvanian microspinate/spinate mio- and microspores are formerly assigned to cingulate species of Lycospora (Schopf et al.), which were described by Potonié & Kremp. In the present paper, from the three existing species of distally microspinate miospores of this type [L. granulata Kosanke, L. orbicula (Potonié & Kremp) Smith & Butterworth and L. chaloneri Scott & Hemsley] two of them, L. orbicula and L. chaloneri are assigned to new pseudosaccate miospore genus Microspinosporites gen. nov. Miospores of this genus are characterized by inner body and distal and proximal microspinae/spinae, except for the contact area. A cingulum is not developed. The fructifications that produced Microspinosporites were bisporangiate cones of the genera Flemingites Carruthers and probably Moscvostrobus Naugolnykh & Orlova, and were born on arborescent lycopsids of the genus Paralycopodites (Moorey & Moorey) DiMichele. The morphology of Microspinosporites is similar to that of e.g., Geminospora (Balme) Playford and some other pseudosaccate miospore genera.