Carboniferous cuticles from the Lubná coal seam (Kladno Formation, Kladno-Rakovník Basin, Czech Republic)

Abstract The Langsettian species Cordaites karvinensis Šimůnek and C. sustae Šimůnek were found conspecific, with C. karvinensis chosen as a correct name. These species come from the same coal seam of the Upper Suchá Member (Upper Silesian Basin, the Czech Republic). Abaxial cuticle from C. karvinensis was found conspicuously similar to Cordaabaxicutis cf. jaworznoensis from the Lower Suchá Member from the strata near the Namurian/Westphalian boundary, as well as to Cordaabaxicutis jaworznoensis Šimůnek et Florjan described from the Orzesze Beds (Duckmantian) from Poland. The abaxial cuticles of all these species are papillate. It is probable that these species are members of one evolutionary lineage, however without information on the leaf morphology connected to the dispersed cuticles of Cordaabaxicutis, this opinion remains hypothetical.

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New records of Pennsylvanian plants, in situ and dispersed cuticles from the Kladno-Rakovník Basin, Radnice Member, Czech Republic

Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie - Abhandlungen ◽

10.1127/njgpa/2020/0932 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 298 (1) ◽

pp. 35-53

Author(s):

Zbyněk Šimůnek

Keyword(s):

Czech Republic ◽

Coal Seam ◽

Dominant Species ◽

New Records ◽

Plant Debris ◽

Spoil Heap ◽

Plant Remains ◽

Moscovian Stage

New collection from the spoil heap of the Lužná mine in Lužná near Rakovník contains about 23 species of lycopsids, sphenopsids, ferns, pteridosperms, progymnosperms and cordaitaleans. The exploited coal seam is called the Upper Radnice Coal seam and belonged to the Radnice Member, Kladno Formation of the upper Duckmantian Substage (lower Moscovian Stage). Plant remains were discovered in tuffaceous partings (so called Velká opuka) and roof shales (here called Mydláky). As roof shales are friable, only a few fossils were found, e. g., Lepidodendron aculeatum Sternberg and Calamites cf. cistii Brongniart that are considered here as autochthonous or parautochthonous. Tuffaceous partings (Velká opuka) yielded a diversified assemblage, including large fragments including for instance progymnosperms (Noeggerathia foliosa Sternberg) and pteridosperms (Spheno pteris pulcherrima Crépin), in some layers also including allochthonous small fragments of undeterminable plant debris and pinnule fragments of medullosalean pteridosperms e. g. Laveineopteris tenuifolia (Sternberg) Cleal, Shute et Zodrow and other species. Noeggerathia foliosa Sternberg is the dominant species in this locality. Cuticles obtained from coal can be classified into several groups. Most of the fragments belong probably to the sporangium wall of the subarborescent lycopsid Omphalophloios feistmantelii (Němejc) Bek et al. Other cuticles correspond to leaf cushions of arborescent lycopsids (Lepidodendron Sternberg and Lepidophloios Sternberg), and others lacking cell and stomatal structures are undeterminable. Pteridosperm or fern cuticles from rachises or midvein areas without stomata are difficult to classify. Also, bizarre multicellular bodies of uncertain affinity are present. Sphenopsid and cordaitalean cuticles were absent in the dispersed cuticular spectra.

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