| Abstract Detail
Paleobotanical Section Greller, Andrew M. [1], Goudket, Michael [2], Castillo, Cesar A. [1]. Fossil root cross-sections from the Upper Cretaceous (Santonian Age, ca.86 my) Magothy Formation of Lloyd Neck, Suffolk County, New York. A fossilized community of plant roots in cross section was found in 2011. The fossils were collected from the Upper Cretaceous outcrop in Caumsett State Park, on Lloyd Neck, Town of Huntington, Suffolk County, N.Y., which was assigned a Late Santonian Age (86 my). The roots traverse an approximately 0.5 meter slab of siderite (iron sandstone). This is the first report of fossil roots from the Magothy Formation. We present six distinctive types of root cross section. We diagrammed the noticeable subdivisions in all of the fossil root cross sections, and then attempted to compare each of the six distinctive root types with a modern root. The circular (in outline) nature of all of these fossils and the two or three concentric circles that appear in each, suggests a xylem mass inside the stele in cross-sections of roots. The lack of cellular detail makes speculative any assignment of taxonomic identification. Fossil root cross sections in our siderite slab represent a range of protostele morphologies including haplosteles, C-shaped protosteles, and actinosteles. The diversity of root morphologies further suggests that the slab represents a section of soil from an upland forested plant community.
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1 - Queens College, CUNY, Biology, 65-30 Kissena Boulevard, Flushing, Queens, NY, 11367, USA
2 - Queens College, CUNY, Biology, 65-30 Kissenda Boulevard, Flushing, Queens, NY, 11367, USA
Keywords:
none specified
Presentation Type: Poster:Posters for Sections
Session: P
Location: Hall D/The Shaw Conference Centre
Date: Monday, July 27th, 2015
Time: 5:30 PM
Number: PPB006
Abstract ID:430
Candidate for Awards:None |
