CRYPTOGAM SPORES FROM THE UPPER CAMPANIAN AND MAASTRICHTIAN OF SEYMOUR-ISLAND, ANTARCTICA

On Seymour Island, Antarctica, the ~1100 m thick upper Campanian and Maastrichtian part of the nearshore marine Lopez de Bertodano Formation, which is well-dated by associated macro- and microfaunas and floras, contains rich palynomorph assemblages of paleoenvironmental significance. These assemblages were recovered from 179 samples and include 27 cryptogam spore species, plus additional species recycled from older Cretaceous rocks. No new taxa are proposed. The spore assemblages are consistent with a moist climate, and presence of salviniaceous aquatic ferns and abundant Sphagnum suggests that the northern Antarctic Peninsula region included mossy bogs/wetlands during the latest Cretaceous. -Author