Late Miocene Leaves and Endocarps of Choerospondias (Anacardiaceae) from Zhejiang, Eastern China: Implications for Paleogeography and Paleoclimate

Abstract

Choerospondias (Anacardiaceae), characterized by radially arranged germination pores near the top, is a monotypic genus mainly distributed in subtropical and tropical eastern Asia, while fossil records indicate a wide distribution throughout Eurasia during the Cenozoic. In this study, we reported three-dimensionally preserved Choerospondias endocarps, and the associated compressed leaves from the late Miocene Shengxian Formation in Tiantai, Zhejiang, eastern China. The plant remains were assigned to two new fossil species. The endocarps were identified as Choerospondias tiantaiensis sp. nov., and the leaves were identified as Choerospondias mioaxillaris sp. nov. Based on fossil records and climate fluctuation during the Cenozoic, we conclude that Choerospondias may have originated from Europe in the early Eocene and then spread to Asia along the coast and island chains of the Tethys and Paratethys oceans. The distribution position of the current fossils was adjacent to the northern boundary of the modern distribution of Choerospondias in East Asia, indicating that the distribution pattern of Choerospondias in East Asia likely formed no later than the late Miocene. We reconstructed the late Miocene paleoclimate of eastern Zhejiang by using the method of climate analysis of endemic species (CAES), and then compared it to the data reconstructed in previous studies. The results indicate that the late Miocene climate in eastern Zhejiang was similar to or warmer and more humid than the modern climate in this region.

Numerical taxonomy and genus-species identification of Czekanowskiales in China based on machine learning

“…Therefore, we had to consider all the traits. For the above reasons, the numerical taxonomy results are not entirely consistent with traditional taxonomy results, as also revealed in previous studies (Xin et al, 2019a;Xiao et al, 2020;Wang et al, 2022). Nevertheless, for this study, we believe that the significance or necessity of cluster analysis is that the consistency it shows with traditional taxonomy provides evidence for the validity of traditional taxonomy in quantitative analysis.…”

“…However, most related studies have been dedicated to individual genera and species, with relatively limited emphasis on systematic and taxonomic concerns. Additionally, only a few studies have incorporated quantitative identification (Xin et al, 2019a;Xiao et al, 2020;Wang et al, 2022).…”

Leaf trait data of two Miocene floras from eastern China and its palaeoclimate implications

“…Toupi flora Shengxian Flora TABLE 5. The taxonomic composition of the Toupi flora and Shengxian flora (macro fossil in genera level); data after Ding, 2011;He, 2019;He and Wang, 2021;Xiao et al, 2022, and this study.…”

A novel seed cone of Pinus from the Miocene of coastal Southeast China indicates kinship with Southeast Asian pines

“…Additionally, the Shengxian Formation flora yielded abundant broadleaved angiospermous plants and a few ferns exhibiting different growth habits, e.g., arborescent Quercus L. ( Jia et al., 2015 ), Ormosia Jacks ( Li et al., 2021 ), Choerospondias Burtt et Hill ( Xiao et al., 2022 ) and Liquidambar L. ( Xiao et al., 2011 ), liana Diploclisia Miers ( Jia et al., 2020 ) and Smilax L. ( Ding et al., 2011 ), shrubby Ilex L. ( Li et al., 2010 ), aquatic Salvinia Seg. and Trapa L. ( Li and Guo, 1982 ).…”