Coprolites in a Middle Triassic cycad pollen cone: evidence for insect pollination in early cycads?
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Issue Date
2005-01-01Author
Klavins, Sharon D.
Kellogg, Derek W.
Krings, Michael
Taylor, Edith L.
Taylor, Thomas N.
Publisher
Evolutionary Ecology
Type
Article
Article Version
Scholarly/refereed, publisher version
Published Version
http://www.evolutionary-ecology.com/issues/v07n03/kkar1828.pdfMetadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Question: What evidence is there for cycad–insect interactions in the fossil record?
Organism: The pollen cone Delemaya spinulosa Klavins, Taylor, Krings et Taylor.
Locality: Fremouw Formation (Middle Triassic), Fremouw Peak, Central Transantarctic
Mountains, Antarctica.
Methods: We document the presence of pollen-laden coprolites in pollen sacs of a Middle
Triassic cycad.
Conclusions: These coprolites are comparable with fecal pellets of modern arthropods and we suggest that they were produced by beetles. This provides the oldest unequivocal evidence for a cycad–insect interaction and may represent a precursory stage in the establishment of a more complex cycad–pollinator relationship.
Description
This is the publisher's version, also available electronically from http://www.evolutionary-ecology.com/issues/v07n03/kkar1828.pdf.
ISSN
1522-0613Collections
Citation
Klavins, Sharon D. et al. (2005). "Coprolites in a Middle Triassic cycad pollen cone: evidence for insect pollination in early cycads?" Evolutionary Ecology Research, 7(3):479-488. http://www.evolutionary-ecology.com/
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