Cryptodidymosphaerites

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Cryptodidymosphaerites
Temporal range: Ypresian–Ypresian
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Fungi
Division: Ascomycota
Class: Dothideomycetes
Order: Pleosporales
Family: incertae sedis
Genus:† Cryptodidymosphaerites
Currah, Stockey & LePage 1998
Species:
†C. princetonensis
Binomial name
†Cryptodidymosphaerites princetonensis
Currah, Stockey & LePage 1998

Cryptodidymosphaerites is an extinct monotypic genus of pleosporale fungus of uncertain family placement. When described it contained the single species Cryptodidymosphaerites princetonensis. The genus is solely known from the Early Eocene, Ypresian aged, Princeton Chert deposit of the Allenby Formation. Cryptodidymosphaerites is one of only three described fossil fungus species found in the Princeton Chert, and is a hyperparasite of Palaeoserenomyces allenbyensis , itself a tar spot-like parasite of the fossil palm Uhlia .

Contents

Distribution

Close up of Princeton Chert outcrop showing volcanic ash (white layer at base), peaty coal (dark layer), and Chert layers (grey). Layer 36 is labelled. Princeton Chert sequence .jpg
Close up of Princeton Chert outcrop showing volcanic ash (white layer at base), peaty coal (dark layer), and Chert layers (grey). Layer 36 is labelled.

Cryptodidymosphaerites princetonensis is known exclusively from the Princeton Chert, a fossil locality in British Columbia, Canada, [1] [2] which comprises an anatomically preserved flora of Eocene Epoch age, with rich species abundance and diversity. The chert is located in exposures of the Allenby Formation on the east bank of the Similkameen River, 8.5 km (5.3 mi) south of the town of Princeton, British Columbia. [3]

Notable in conjunction with the coal seams of the Allenby Formation are sections of chert which formed during silica rich periods. The rapid cyclical changes from coal to chert and back are not noted in any other fossil locality in the world. An estimated 49 coal-chert cycles are known, though the exact conditions for this process are not well understood. Silica rich volcanic episodes in the region during deposition would have been needed for formation of the cherts, while slowly moving waters and gently subsiding terrains would be needed for the peats and fens to accumulate. Rates of organic deposition in swamps have been estimated at approximately 0.5–1 mm (0.020–0.039 in) in modern temperate climates, this suggests the time needed for each 10–20 cm (3.9–7.9 in) chert layer would be at least 100 years or more, with the full sequence of cycles taking place over no more then 15,000 years. [4]

The Allenby Formation is the southern-most of the Eocene Okanagan Highlands lakes in British Columbia, and second most southern site after the Klondike Mountain Formation of Republic, Washington in northern Ferry County. The highlands, including the Allenby Formation, have been described as one of the "Great Canadian Lagerstätten " [5] based on the diversity, quality and unique nature of the floral and faunal biotas that are preserved. The highlands temperate biome preserved across a large transect of lakes recorded many of the earliest appearances of modern genera, while also documenting the last stands of ancient lines. [5]

History & classification

Specimens of Cryptodidymosphaerites princetonensis were first identified in serial thin section cellulose acetate peels of Uhlia allenbyensis fossils. The peels were made with hydrofluoric acid and mounted in Eukitt mounting material, than affixed to microscope slides using double sided tape. The holotype, microscope slide UAPC-ALTA P1231 B, was accessioned into the University of Alberta palaeobotanical collections. The formal description of the new genus and species was published by Randolph Currah, Ruth Stockey and Ben LePage (1998) in the journal Mycologia . Currah et al formed the genus name as a modification of the name Cryptodidymosphaeria, a synonym of the modern mycoparasitic Didymosphaeria conoidea , plus the suffix -ites denoting its status as a fossil. They chose the specific epithet princetonensis as a reference to the type locality. [2]

The family affiliation of C. princetonensis is undetermined, with Currah, Stockey, and LePage (1998) only assigning to the order "Melanommatales". [2] This placement is used with some fungal databases, Melanommatales now being considered a synonym of Pleosporales, [6] while other databases only place the genus to the division Ascomycota. [7] [8] [9]

Description

The ascomata of Cryptodidymosphaerites princetonensis are globular in shape, ranging between 50–120 μm (0.0020–0.0047 in) in diameter. The walls of each ascocarp are comprised of prosenchymatous hyphae built up in several layers. Within the ascomata are 6 μm (0.00024 in) wide by 35–50 μm (0.0014–0.0020 in) long asci, each with eight ascospores. The ascospores are uniseriate and have a club shaped outline with a constriction near the equatorial septum wall. [2]

Paleoecology

Cryptodidymosphaerites princetonensis was a hyperparasite of Paleoserenomyces allenbeyensis , invading the tissue and developing in the locules of the P. allenbeyensis stromata. [2] P. allenbeyensis is itself a parasite, invading the surface cells of Uhlia allenbyensis palm leaves resulting in areas considered to be similar to modern "tar spot" infections on leaves. [2] The layered parasitic symbiosis of the palm and fungi suggests the relation between certain palms and tar spot forming Phyllachorales existed from at least 50  million years ago. [2]

Paleoenvironment

Virunga Mountains over Lake Edward Virunga National Park - Lake Edward January 2015.jpg
Virunga Mountains over Lake Edward

The Princeton chert preserves an aquatic system with silica rich slow moving waters which was likely a peat fen ecosystem. While other fossil producing areas of the Allenby Formation are likely the product of deep water deposition and diatomite sedimentation, the chert layers originate from shallow waters, as evidenced by plant and animal fossils. [4] The Okanagan Highland sites, such as the Princeton chert represent upland lake systems that were surrounded by a warm temperate ecosystem with nearby volcanism. [5] The highlands likely had a mesic upper microthermal to lower mesothermal climate, in which winter temperatures rarely dropped low enough for snow, and which were seasonably equitable. [10] The Okanagan Highlands paleoforest surrounding the lakes have been described as precursors to the modern temperate broadleaf and mixed forests of Eastern North America and Eastern Asia. Based on the fossil biotas the lakes were higher and cooler than the coeval coastal forests preserved in the Puget Group and Chuckanut Formation of Western Washington, which are described as lowland tropical forest ecosystems. Estimates of the paleoelevation range between 0.7–1.2 km (0.43–0.75 mi) higher than the coastal forests. This is consistent with the paleoelevation estimates for the lake systems, which range between 1.1–2.9 km (1,100–2,900 m), which is similar to the modern elevation 0.8 km (0.50 mi), but higher. [10]

Estimates of the mean annual temperature have been derived from climate leaf analysis multivariate program (CLAMP) analysis and leaf margin analysis (LMA) the Princeton paleoflora. The CLAMP results after multiple linear regressions for Princeton's gave a 5.1 °C (41.2 °F), and the LMA returned a mean annual temperature of 5.1 ± 2.2 °C (41.2 ± 4.0 °F). This is lower than the mean annual temperature estimates given for the coastal Puget Group, which is estimated to have been between 15–18.6 °C (59.0–65.5 °F). The bioclimatic analysis for Princeton suggest mean annual precipitation amount of 114 ± 42 cm (45 ± 17 in). [10] The warm temperate uplands floras of the Allenby Formation and greater highlands in association with downfaulted lacustrine basins and active volcanism are noted to have no exact modern equivalents. This is due to the more seasonally equitable conditions of the Early Eocene, resulting in much lower seasonal temperature shifts. However, the highlands have been compared to the upland ecological islands in the Virunga Mountains within the Albertine Rift of the African rift valley. [11]

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Klondike Mountain Formation</span>

The Klondike Mountain Formation is an Early Eocene (Ypresian) geological formation located in the northeast central area of Washington state. The formation, named for the type location designated in 1962, Klondike Mountain north of Republic, Washington, is composed of volcanic rocks in the upper unit and volcanics plus lacustrine (lakebed) sedimentation in which a lagerstätte with exceptionally well-preserved plant and insect fossils has been found, along with fossil epithermal hot springs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Princeton Chert</span> Fossilized Flora

The Princeton Chert is a fossil locality in British Columbia, Canada, which comprises an anatomically preserved flora of Eocene Epoch age, with rich species abundance and diversity. It is located in exposures of the Allenby Formation on the east bank of the Similkameen River, 8.5 km (5.3 mi) south of the town of Princeton, British Columbia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">McAbee Fossil Beds</span>

The McAbee Fossil Beds is a Heritage Site that protects an Eocene Epoch fossil locality east of Cache Creek, British Columbia, Canada, just north of and visible from Provincial Highway 97 / the Trans-Canada Highway. The McAbee Fossil Beds, comprising 548.23 hectares, were officially designated a Provincial Heritage Site under British Columbia's Heritage Conservation Act on July 19, 2012. The site is part of an old lake bed which was deposited about 52 million years ago and is internationally recognised for the diversity of plant, insect, and fish fossils found there. Similar fossil beds in Eocene lake sediments, also known for their well preserved plant, insect and fish fossils, are found at Driftwood Canyon Provincial Park near Smithers in northern British Columbia, on the Horsefly River near Quesnel in central British Columbia, and at Republic in Washington, United States. The Princeton Chert fossil beds in southern British Columbia are also Eocene, but primarily preserve an aquatic plant community. A 2016 review of the early Eocene fossil sites from the interior of British Columbia discusses the history of paleobotanical research at McAbee, the Princeton Chert, Driftwood Canyon, and related Eocene fossil sites such as at Republic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Allenby Formation</span>

The Allenby formation is a sedimentary rock formation in British Columbia which was deposited during the Ypresian stage of the Early Eocene. It consists of conglomerates, sandstones with interbedded shales and coal. The shales contain an abundance of insect, fish and plant fossils known from 1877 and onward, while the Princeton Chert was first indented in the 1950's and is known from anatomically preserved plants.

<i>Comptonia columbiana</i> Extinct species of sweet fern

Comptonia columbiana is an extinct species of sweet fern in the flowering plant family Myricaceae. The species is known from fossil leaves found in the early Eocene deposits of central to southern British Columbia, Canada, plus northern Washington state, United States, and, tentatively, the late Eocene of Southern Idaho and Earliest Oligocene of Oregon, United States.

<i>Amia</i>? <i>hesperia</i> Extinct species of ray-finned fishes

Amia? hesperia is an extinct species of bony fish in the bowfin family, Amiidae. The species is known from fossils found in the early Eocene deposits of northern Washington state in the United States and southeastern British Columbia. The species is one of eight fish species identified in the Eocene Okanagan Highlands paleofauna.

Klondikia is an extinct hymenopteran genus in the ant family Formicidae with a single described species Klondikia whiteae. The species is solely known from the Early Eocene sediments exposed in northeast Washington state, United States. The genus is currently not placed into any ant subfamily, being treated as incertae sedis.

The paleoflora of the Eocene Okanagan Highlands includes all plant and fungi fossils preserved in the Eocene Okanagan Highlands Lagerstätten. The highlands are a series of Early Eocene geological formations which span an 1,000 km (620 mi) transect of British Columbia, Canada and Washington state, United States and are known for the diverse and detailed plant fossils which represent an upland temperate ecosystem immediately after the Paleocene-Eocene thermal maximum, and before the increased cooling of the middle and late Eocene to Oligocene. The fossiliferous deposits of the region were noted as early as 1873, with small amounts of systematic work happening in the 1880-90s on British Columbian sites, and 1920-30s for Washington sites. A returned focus and more detailed descriptive work on the Okanagan Highlands sites revived in the 1970's. The noted richness of agricultural plant families in Republic and Princeton floras resulted in the term "Eocene orchards" being used for the paleofloras.

<i>Fagus langevinii</i> Fossil species of beech tree

Fagus langevinii is an extinct species of beech in the family Fagaceae. The species is known from fossil fruits, nuts, pollen, and leaves found in the early Eocene deposits of South central British Columbia, and northern Washington state, United States.

<i>Plecia canadensis</i> Extinct species of flies

Plecia canadensis is an extinct species of Plecia in the fly family Bibionidae. The species is solely known from Early Eocene sediments exposed in central southern British Columbia. The species is one of twenty bibionid species described from the Eocene Okanagan Highlands paleobiota.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eocene Okanagan Highlands</span>

The Eocene Okanagan Highlands or Eocene Okanogan Highlands are a series of Early Eocene geological formations which span a 1,000 km (620 mi) transect of British Columbia, Canada, and Washington state, United States. Known for a highly diverse and detailed plant and animal paleobiota the paleolake beds as a whole are considered one of the great Canadian Lagerstätten. The paleobiota represented are of an upland subtropical to temperate ecosystem series immediately after the Paleocene–Eocene thermal maximum, and before the increased cooling of the middle and late Eocene to Oligocene. The fossiliferous deposits of the region were noted as early as 1873, with small amounts of systematic work happening in the 1870–1920s on British Columbian sites, and 1920–1930s for Washington sites. Focus and more detailed descriptive work on the Okanagan Highland sites started in the late 1960s.

The paleofauna of the Eocene Okanagan Highlands is comprised of Early Eocene arthropods, vertebrates, plus rare nematodes and molluscs found in geological formations of the northwestern North American Eocene Okanagan Highlands. The highlands lake bed series' as a whole are considered one of the great Canadian Lagerstätten. The paleofauna represents that of a late Ypresian upland temperate ecosystem immediately after the Paleocene-Eocene thermal maximum, and before the increased cooling of the middle and late Eocene to Oligocene. The fossiliferous deposits of the region were noted as early as 1873, with small amounts of systematic work happening in the 1880-90s on British Columbian sites, and 1920-30s for Washington sites. Focus and more detailed descriptive work on the Okanagan Highlands site started in the last 1970's. Most of the highlands sites are preserved as compression-impression fossils in "shales", but also includes a rare permineralized biota and an amber biota.

Uhlia is an extinct genus of coryphoid palm containing a single species Uhlia allenbyensis. The species is known from permineralized remains recovered from the Princeton Chert in British Columbia, Canada. Leaves of Uhlia have "tar spot"-like fungal infections of the extinct ascomycete Paleoserenomyces, which in turn are hyperparasitized by the ascomycete Cryptodidymosphaerites.

Paleoserenomyces is an extinct monotypic genus of pleosporale fungus of uncertain family placement. When described it contained the single species Paleoserenomyces allenbyensis. The genus is solely known from the Early Eocene, Ypresian aged, Princeton Chert deposit of the Allenby Formation. Palaeoserenomyces is one of only three described fossil fungus species found in the Princeton Chert, being a tar spot like parasite of the fossil palm Uhlia allenbyensis, and is host for the hyperparasite Cryptodidymosphaerites princetonensis.

<i>Plecia avus</i> Extinct species of March fly

Plecia avus is an extinct species of Plecia in the March fly family Bibionidae and is solely known from Early Eocene sediments exposed in central southern British Columbia. The species is one of twenty bibionid species described from the Eocene Okanagan Highlands.

References

  1. ↑ Erwin, D.M.; Stockey, R.A. (1994). "Permineralized monocotyledons from the middle Eocene Princeton chert (Allenby Formation) of British Columbia: Arecaceae". Palaeontographica Abteilung B. 234: 19–40.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Currah, R.S.; Stockey, R.A.; LePage, B.A. (1998). "An Eocene tar spot on a fossil palm and its fungal hyperparasite". Mycologia. 90 (4): 667–673. doi:10.1080/00275514.1998.12026955.
  3. ↑ Miller, C. (1975). "Silicified cones and vegetative remains of Pinus from the Eocene of British Columbia". Contributions from the Museum of Paleontology, University of Michigan. 24 (10): 101–118.
  4. 1 2 Mustoe, G. (2010). "Cyclic sedimentation in the Eocene Allenby Formation of south-central British Columbia and the origin of the Princeton Chert fossil beds". Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences. 48 (1): 25–43. doi:10.1139/e10-085.
  5. 1 2 3 Archibald, S.; Greenwood, D.; Smith, R.; Mathewes, R.; Basinger, J. (2011). "Great Canadian Lagerstätten 1. Early Eocene Lagerstätten of the Okanagan Highlands (British Columbia and Washington State)". Geoscience Canada. 38 (4): 155–164.
  6. ↑ "Cryptodidymosphaerites princetonensis". The Kalgutkar and Jansonius Database of Fossil Fungi. AASP – The Palynological society. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
  7. ↑ Bensch, K. "Cryptodidymosphaerites". Mycobank. International Mycological Association (IMA) and the Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
  8. ↑ Bensch, K. "Cryptodidymosphaerites princetonensis". Mycobank. International Mycological Association (IMA) and the Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
  9. ↑ Kirk, P. "Cryptodidymosphaerites Currah, Stockey & B.A. LePage, Mycologia 90(4): 668 (1998)". Index Fungorum. Royal Botanic Gardens Kew. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
  10. 1 2 3 Greenwood, D.R.; Archibald, S.B.; Mathewes, R.W; Moss, P.T. (2005). "Fossil biotas from the Okanagan Highlands, southern British Columbia and northeastern Washington State: climates and ecosystems across an Eocene landscape" (PDF). Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences. 42 (2): 167–185. Bibcode:2005CaJES..42..167G. doi:10.1139/e04-100.
  11. ↑ DeVore, M. L.; Nyandwi, A.; Eckardt, W.; Bizuru, E.; Mujawamariya, M.; Pigg, K. B. (2020). "Urticaceae leaves with stinging trichomes were already present in latest early Eocene Okanogan Highlands, British Columbia, Canada". American Journal of Botany. 107 (10): 1449–1456. doi:10.1002/ajb2.1548. PMID   33091153. S2CID   225050834.
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