PALYNOLOGICAL ZONATION OF MID-PALAEOZOIC. NW SPAIN 



Chelinospora media sp. nov. PI. 9, fig. 6 



1978a Chelinospora iiiariae Rodriguez (pars): 10. pi. 1, tig. 4. 



Derivation of name. Latin medius a., intermediate. 



HOLOTYPE. FM 1495, sampleArgovejo 92/12 (510) 3, 093 1019, 

 E.F. no. K32/2 J32/4; Lower San Pedro Formation, Argovejo section. 

 Province of Leon, Cantabrian Mountains, northwest Spain. 



Diagnosis. A Chelinospora with low muri, <1 \xm wide and < 

 1 |am high, forming a regular reticulum with broad lumina of more or 



less even size. 



Description. Proximally hilate miospores, equatorially 2-A pm 

 thick, distal exine thick ( not measured); amb subtriangular. Proximal 

 hilum thin, frequently broken, or absent, trilete mark not usually 

 seen. Exine equatorially c. 5 pm, distally thick equatorially, but not 

 measured. Equatorially and distally sculptured with a reticulum, 

 muri 1 pm or less wide, 1-2 pm high, lumina relatively large, 

 polygonal and 6-14 pm wide; muri become radial at the equator. A 

 few specimens show a Y-mark, with sutures to the inner margin of the 

 patina. 



Dimensions. 3 1-60 pm (based on 12 specimens); England, 37-67 

 pm (based on 37 specimens). 



Comparison. Differs from Chelinospora lavidensis by the more 

 regular reticulum with broad, more or less even, lumina. The holotype 

 of Chelinospora mariae Rodriguez ( 1 978a: pi. 1 , fig. 3) appears to be 

 conspecific with C. cassicula Richardson & Lister 1969, but other 

 specimens figured by Rodriguez (1978a: pi. 1, fig. 4) appear identi- 

 cal to C. media sp. nov. 



Remarks. There appears to be a morphological gradation between 

 Chelinospora lavidensis, C. media, and C. cassicida with some 

 overlap in the ranges of the species. C. lavidensis occurs in the 

 uppermost Pi'i'doli and Lower Devonian (upper H, EC Biozones and 

 lower MN Sub-Biozone) of the Cantabrian Mountains. C. media 

 occurs near the Silurian/Devonian Boundary and in the lower MN 

 Sub-Biozone, and is rare in the middle MN Sub-Biozone; C. cassicula 

 occurs both in Spain and England in the lower MN Sub-Biozone, and 

 especially the middle MN Sub-Biozone in England. 



Two tryads/dyads (Richardson, 1996a: pi. 3, figs 1, 2) show such 

 close similarities in sculpture to C. media that they probably were 

 derived from the same, or closely similar, plants. All these 

 Chelinospora species represent part of an evolving spore morphon 

 and were probably derived from a group of closely related plants. 

 The dyads of the species Chelinohilates erraticus Richardson 1 996b: 

 pi. 7, figs 5-7, have identical sculptural patterns. 



Occurrence. Upper San Pedro Formation, La Vid EC Biozone, 

 Argovejo and Geras sections, lower MN Biozone, uppermost Silurian 

 and Lower Lochkovian. Occurs in the lower part of the lower MN 

 (NA) Sub-Biozone, Shropshire and Herefordshire in England. 



159 



Chelinospora (Lophozonotriletes?) poecilomorpha 



(Richardson & loannides) comb. nov. PI. 10, figs 6, 7 



Basionym. Lophozonotriletes? poecilomorpha Richardson & 

 loannides, 1973: pi. 7, figs 9-15; pi. 8, figs, 1,4-6. 



Holotype. Richardson & loannides, 1973: pi. 7, fig. IO,BP10/22- 

 831060, CI -34 borehole, Libya. 



Remarks. This taxon is transferred to the genus Chelinospora 

 because specimens studied under SEM and light microscopy show a 

 distinct distal pattern with a thin polar proximal membrane. 



Chelinospora sanpetrensis (Rodriguez) comb. nov. 



PI. 4, fig. 8; PI. 7, fig. 10 



Basionym. Brochotriletes scmpetrense Rodriguez, 1 978c: 4 1 4, pi. 

 l.fig. 13. 



1983 Brochotriletes sanpetrensis Rodnguez: 34. pis 1, 10, 19. 



Holotype and locus typicus. Rodriguez, 1978c: pi. I, fig. 13; 

 Torrestio, Province of Leon Cantabrian Mountains, northwest Spain, 

 lower part of San Pedro Formation. 



Emended diagnosis. A Chelinospora with a densely muromate, 

 foveolate, and irregular foveo-reticulate sculpture with broad, sinu- 

 ous, low muri, and narrow lumina. 



Description. As in Rodriguez, 1978c: 414, but forms with a 

 reticulum of wide muri and large rounded, polygonal and irregular 

 lumina are classified as a separate species (C. cantabrica sp. nov.). 



Dimensions. 24, 29-49 pm (based on 60 specimens); 30-45 pm. 

 (Rodriguez, 1978c). 



Remarks. The structure is patinate and consists of a thick distal 

 exine and a thin proximal hilum, frequently ruptured, with a narrow 

 fold on the inner margin of the curvaturae. Under the SEM some 

 specimens show a sculpture of microrugulae and micrograna in the 

 curvaturate zone. Specimens with a dominantly foveolate sculpture 

 are referred to as Chelinospora cf. sanpetrensis but probably grade 

 into the reticulate forms. 



Occurrence. Argovejo. Geras, La Peral and La Vid sections, 

 lower and middle San Pedro Formation; range RS and lower to 

 middle H Biozones; isolated specimens found in lower EC Sub- 

 Biozone (Geras) and lower MN (NA) Sub-Biozone (La Vid). 



Gem^ CYMBOSPORITES M\cn 1965 

 Type species. Cymbosporites cyathus Allen 1965. 



Cymbosporites cf. dittonensis Richardson & Lister 1969 



PI. 9, fig. 7 



Dimensions. 22-35 pm (based on 6 specimens). 



1000; 3c, enlargement of 



PLATE 13 



Figs I, 3c Palenchitina pisuergensis Schweineberg 1 987. FC 1 1 8. Ger7/SB7/6; la, lateral view, x 300; lb, ornament detail. 



part of Fig. la, x 1000. 

 Fig. 2 Ancyrochilina valladolitana Schweineberg 1987. FC 1 19. Ger4/CSB3/5; 2a, lateral view, x 355; 2b, appendix detail, x 750. 

 Fig. 3 Ancyrochilina javieri Schweineberg 1987. FC 1 20, Ger7/SB7/6; 3a, lateral view, x 300: 3b, basal margin detail, x 650. 

 Fig. 4 Angochitina elongata Eisenack 1931. FC 121, Ger9/456/7, (M32/1 ); 4a, lateral view, x 300; 4b, ornament detail, x 850, 



Fig. 5 Ancyrochilina fragilis brevis Taugourdeau & Jekhowski I960. FC 122, LV 10/492/9, (L36/4); 5a, lateral view, x 300; 5b, appendix detail, x 1000. 

 Fig. 6 Ancyrochilina libyensis Jaglin 1986. FC 123. Arg4/SB7/3; 6a, lateral view, x 500; 6b, appendix detail, x 850, 

 Fig. 7 Ramochilina villosa (Laufeld 1974). FC 124. Ger2B/CSB3/3; 7a, lateral view, x 400; 7b, apertural detail, x 500, 

 Fig. 8 Pleclochilina rosendae Cramer & Diez 1978. FC 125, lateral view, x 400, LVIO/492/9, (H35/1 ). 

 Fig. 9 Pleclochilina carminae Cramer 1964, FC 126. LV12/494/7. (P22/4); 9a, lateral view, x 300; 9b, appendix detail, x 600, 



